Photo source : munsifdaily.com
India is changing how tolls work on national highways, making it easier and more affordable for regular travelers. Starting 15 August 2025, a new Annual Toll Pass for private vehicles will be available. This pass costs just ₹3,000 per year and allows up to 200 one-way trips on national highways. It’s designed only for private vehicles like cars, jeeps, and personal vans — not for taxis or commercial trucks.
You can get this pass through the Rajmarg Yatra app or the official websites of NHAI and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It’s easy to apply — no address proof is needed, just your vehicle details and FASTag. This pass will save regular travelers money because currently, using highways frequently can cost over ₹4,000 per year in tolls. This new plan brings down the cost and reduces the hassle of paying every time at toll booths.
Apart from this, the government is also testing a new GNSS-based tolling system. This is a satellite-based toll system, which means you won’t have to stop at toll plazas. Toll will be calculated based on how far you travel. A small benefit being tested is that the first 20 km of local travel per day is toll-free. Right now, this is being tried only for commercial vehicles, but private vehicle use may be added later.
The government is also considering a flat per-kilometre toll system, expected to roll out gradually. For example, cars might be charged ₹0.95 per kilometre, and larger vehicles a bit more. Meanwhile, from April 2025, some toll rates have already increased slightly across highways.
To make things even easier, there are also talks about introducing a lifetime pass for around ₹30,000, which could cover highway use for up to 15 years.
In short, if you often travel by car on national highways, this is a great time to prepare. You’ll soon be able to choose between a low-cost annual pass, a pay-per-km model, or even a lifetime toll pass. These changes aim to reduce traffic jams, eliminate long queues at toll booths, and make highway travel smoother and more affordable.
