MoRTH informs about annual local permit based on FASTag | Today’s news

The center has introduced an annual toll for eligible residents living within 20km of the National Motorway toll plazas, which offers unlimited crossings at designated plazas up to ₹3000 per annum. The move addresses long-standing restrictions on the existing monthly pass and comes as the introduction of barrier-free tolls makes it harder to maintain informal arrangements for local commuters.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) on Monday announced changes to the National Road Charge (Rating and Collection) Rules 2008, which introduce an annual FASTag-based local ticket at two rates: ₹1,500 where the toll plaza is outside the municipal or local city limits, and ₹3,000 if it falls within these limits.

Read also | Better roads, better data: MoRTH takes its highway model to states

The new ticket complements the existing monthly ticket priced at ₹350, which eligible residents using non-commercial private vehicles like cars, jeeps and vans had to renew every month. Mint reported on 8 October that MORTH plans to announce an annual local clearance scheme.

A cheaper alternative

An annual pass could reduce toll costs for residents who repeatedly cross the same square. On ₹3,000 per year, it costs almost 29% less than paying ₹350 every month, or ₹4200 per annum. The ₹1,500 boards offer more savings.

The pass allows unlimited crossings for a period of one year, but only at a specific toll point selected during registration. This is not a national card and cannot be used in other squares.

A MORTH representative said the scheme followed several statements highlighting flaws in the monthly ticket system and calling for an annual option for local residents.

The new local card is similar to the existing one ₹3,075 annual FASTag pass, which allows passenger vehicles up to 200 toll plaza crossings on eligible national highways. Any revenue loss to highway concessionaires from the local permit will be compensated by the MoRTH, on the same routes as under the existing annual permit scheme, the official said.

Read also | India’s private sector activity hit a four-month high as inflation cools

“This is a very good initiative which should facilitate the local residents who have to frequent a small stretch of national highways for their regular work. It will also help speed up the implementation of the barrier-free MLFF system,” said Vaibhav Dange, an independent infrastructure expert.

More than 10 million users have subscribed ₹3,075 annual FASTag passes, demonstrating strong demand for simplified and discounted toll agreements. India has approximately 110 million FASTag users, according to government data.

Higher stakes

The annual local ticket is also intended to address issues arising from the introduction of multi-lane tolling (MLFF). Under the previous system, some locals crossed the toll booths informally, relying on familiarity with booth staff instead of obtaining formal passes. This arrangement is not possible under the MLFF, which allows vehicles to pass through toll booths without stopping at conventional booths or requiring human intervention at the toll booth.

Officials found a significant proportion of electronic notices issued for unpaid tolls per resident within 20 km of toll booths. The annual local passport is supposed to solve this problem as well. Residents who regularly use the designated plaza must purchase a pass; otherwise, the e-notification may require payment of double the toll amount.

MLFF is currently operational at six toll plazas: Choryasi, Mundaka, Daulatpura, Gharaunda, Manoharpur and Shahjahanpur.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has extended its FASTag digital local toll facility to around 300 toll booths, enabling eligible residents to get monthly tickets online through the Rajmargyatra mobile app. The digital facility will now be extended to annual local tickets at these squares.

FASTag applicants, vehicles and tags must meet the relevant eligibility conditions. The system will verify the applicant’s address, vehicle details and linked FASTag before determining eligibility. Commuters can use the Rajmargyatra app to check if their regular toll plaza is covered.

Read also | DP World links another $5 billion in Indian investment to demand and capacity constraints

The notification also sets out restrictions on access to the concession. The annual pass fee will be revised by the central government every 1st April. The card will not be available on national highways and expressways where tolls are collected under a closed user fee collection system. The concession will also not be available where a service road or alternative road is available for the driver, owner or person in charge of the vehicle, the notification said.

The annual local card scheme is part of the wider Digital India initiative. Its implementation has gained urgency with the expansion of the MLFF toll, which removes the human intervention that some locals have relied on to cross toll plazas without formal permits.