Context: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has announced a FASTag-based annual pass for hassle-free-highway travel for a given duration.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about FASTag; How does the FASTag system work?
FASTag Annual Pass Scheme:
- The annual pass would cost Rs 3000 and will allow free passage of non-commercial private vehicles- car, jeep or van at National Highway (NH) and National Expressway (NE) fee plazas for the given duration, without per-trip user fee charges.
- FASTag-based passes will be effective from August 15, 2025 and valid for one year or 200 trips or crossings, whichever comes earlier.
- The user may re-purchase the Annual Pass once the 200-trip limit is exhausted, even if the one-year validity period has not yet ended.
- The pass is non-transferable and is valid only for the vehicle on which the FASTag is affixed and registered.
- Valid only at National Highway and National Expressway fee plazas. At plazas on Expressways, State Highways managed by state governments or local bodies, the FASTag will operate as a regular FASTag.
- Key Benefits: Address the long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas; Economical as the average cost of crossing one toll plaza will be only Rs 15.
What is FASTag?
- FASTag is an electronic toll collection system.
- Launched in 2014 as a pilot project and made mandatory at every toll plaza in the country in 2021.
- Managed by: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
How does the FASTag system work?
- The FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to collect toll tax payments on the road.
- A FASTag sticker is usually pasted on the windscreen of a car. When a FASTag-attached vehicle approaches a toll plaza, a scanner at the plaza identifies the tag via RFID, and deducts tax from the linked bank account or the prepaid card.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology
- RFID technology refers to a wireless system comprising two components: tags and readers.
- Reader is a device that has one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the RFID tag. Readers can be mobile so that they can be carried by hand, or they can be mounted on a post or overhead.
- RFID Tag is embedded on the windscreens of the vehicles for transporters. It can store a range of information from one serial number to several pages of data. The tags use radio waves to communicate their identity and other information to nearby readers.
The new FASTag annual pass is a strategic step toward modernising India’s highway toll system with smarter mobility and efficient toll management. It enhances user experience, promotes digital infrastructure, reduces environmental impact, and provides a cost-effective solution for frequent travelers.
Also Read: Satellite-based toll collection