Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday launched a new ₹3,000-per-year FASTag-based toll pass for private cars, calling it "a game-changing step towards uninterrupted highway travel." The new system will be effective from August 15, 2025.
Designed specifically for non-commercial private vehicles like cars, jeeps, and vans, the annual pass will be valid for one year from the activation date or up to 200 highway trips—whichever occurs earlier.
Gadkari clarified that the program seeks to offer cost-effective and seamless connectivity to National Highways throughout the nation. To make this possible, a special link for activation and renewal will soon be available on the Rajmarg Yatra App, as well as on the websites of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
This new policy strikes at the very heart of long-standing problems associated with toll plazas located within a 60-km distance and consolidates toll payment into one convenient, low-cost step," Gadkari stated. He noted that this action would reduce traffic waiting times, alleviate congestion, and curtail issues at toll booths, eventually enhancing the travel experience for millions of private vehicle commuters.
Parallel to this, Gadkari pointed out the success of the government in increasing the National Highway infrastructure. Between 2014 and 2024, the rate of construction of highways increased by 130% in comparison with the period between 2004 and 2014. This has seen 1,01,900 km of national highways constructed within the last decade.
Presently, 1,366 projects amounting to nearly 32,366 km are at the construction stage nationwide, including in areas like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and the North-Eastern States. Such projects are at different stages and are not included under those at the termination or foreclosure stage. Most of them are likely to be completed by the financial year 2028.
India's national highway system has recorded a 60% growth in the past decade, from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1,46,204 km by 2024. Its rate of highway construction a day has also increased threefold, from 11.6 km/day in 2014 to 34 km/day on average today.
Government statistics also indicate that investment in road infrastructure has increased 6.4 times from 2013-14 to 2024-25, while the road and transport budget has risen by a whopping 570% during the same interval.
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