The FASTag annual pass will be valid from today, August 15. Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and its promoter National Highways Authority of India commemorate India’s 79th Independence Day by launching this annual pass. While monthly passes are already available for users, now you can save up to Rs. 1,080, choose annual pass. Although the FASTag annual pass is valid only on national highways and highways, you can still pass the toll plaza using the FASTag affixed to your vehicle.
FASTag Annual Pass: Validity on National Highways vs. State Highways
The FASTag Annual Pass is now available for certain types of vehicles. The annual pass is only valid when traveling on national roads and motorways. However, your FASTag operates regularly while passing through toll plazas on other highways and national highways to collect regular tolls from travelers.
If you cross a square once, it counts as one trip. Once you exhaust the 200-trip quota, your FASTag will revert to regular FASTag. In order to continue enjoying the benefits of FASTag annual pass, you have to reactivate it.
Selected vehicle list includes private cars, jeeps and vans only. Owners of these vehicles will be able to purchase FASTag annual passes. Once purchased, the annual pass is valid for one year or 200 trips, whichever comes first. However, if a commercial vehicle or trucking company uses the same FASTag, its FASTag will be deactivated immediately without any prior notice, according to the FASTag website.
It is important to note that the FASTag annual pass is not transferable and is valid only for the vehicle to which it is registered. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways also stressed that if another vehicle is found using the annual pass, the annual pass will be deactivated. If you want to know how to buy FASTag annual pass, you can read our step-by-step guide on technology shout.
Considering the cost of the FASTag annual pass, the car owners will have to pay Rs. 3,000 times a year to stay active. The current monthly ticket price is Rs. 340 per month. If you buy a monthly pass, you will end up spending Rs. 4,080 per year. However, if you buy a FASTag annual pass, you can save Rs. 1,080. Frequent travelers, long-distance commuters, tourists, people who take frequent road trips, and individuals such as sales representatives, delivery drivers, and other business travelers will benefit most from the launch of annual passes.
Apart from this, the FASTag annual pass also helps you save time and provides greater convenience to travelers as you only have to recharge your FASTag once a year. It will also save you from having to track your deductions at each toll plaza. Other than that, you don’t have to worry about incorrect deductions. For more information on costs and savings, you can read our price breakdown for the FASTag Annual Pass on technology shout, where we discuss this detail.
