NHAI (Representational Image) New Delhi: More than half a crore highway car users have purchased Fastag annual passes in the last six months since the scheme was launched and 26. 5 crore toll payments have been made using the pass at the rate of Rs 15 each at the plazas. The data shows a 50% increase in trips by car users, who typically make a maximum of 100 trips a year, showing how the annual pass has encouraged people to make more highway trips.

NHAI officials said that around 28% of the total car transactions recorded on the NH network are now being done through the Fastag annual pass. He said the increased penetration of annual passes among private car users will also help the highway authority in better implementation of Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) or barrier-less toll collection, which is being introduced.

NHAI said. According to the highway authority Bijwasan Toll Plaza, Delhi-NCR has recorded the maximum of about 57% of total car crossings at the fee plaza using annual passes, followed by Mundka in Delhi-NCR and Jhinjholi Plaza in Sonipat, both of which have recorded about 53% non-commercial vehicle crossings using annual passes. Applicable at 1,150 fee plazas on national highways and national expressways, the annual pass eliminates the need to recharge FASTag again and again.

One year validity or through a one-time fee payment of Rs 3,000 for 200 toll plaza crossings. The annual pass fee will be increased in April in line with the revision in toll fees. The annual pass is activated within two hours on the existing FASTag linked to the vehicle after the one-time fee is paid through the HighwayYatra app or NHAI website.