New Delhi: The government is working on a new toll collection system to make highway and expressway travel easier. Under this plan, private vehicle owners may be able to pay a one-time annual fee of ₹3,000 for unlimited travel on national highways, expressways, and state expressways.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is reviewing the proposal. The aim is to make toll payment simpler and reduce traffic congestion.
The plan includes two options:
- Annual Pass: A yearly payment of ₹3,000 will allow unlimited travel on highways. This will remove the need for regular FASTag recharges and separate toll payments.
- Pay-per-use: For occasional users, a charge of ₹50 for every 100 kilometers is being considered.
The system will also move towards barrier-free toll plazas. Traditional toll booths and old sensor systems will be replaced with new technologies like Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and GPS tracking. This will help reduce delays, save fuel, and improve traffic flow.
Current FASTag users will not need to make any changes. Their existing accounts will work with the new system, and no new documents will be required.
An earlier idea of a lifetime FASTag costing ₹30,000 for 15 years has been dropped. The focus is now on the more affordable annual pass.
The timeline for implementation is not confirmed yet. The government is also preparing a compensation plan for toll operators, based on digital travel records. Banks may get more power to enforce toll collection, such as setting a minimum FASTag balance to prevent misuse.
