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The government has appealed to citizens to consider gifting the FASTag annual pass this Diwali, calling it a convenient and practical choice for those who travel frequently on India’s highways. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the digital pass, which allows cashless and queue-free travel on National Highways and Expressways, makes festive travel smoother and stress-free.

The annual pass, introduced by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), can be purchased and gifted through the Rajmargyatra mobile app. It is valid for one year or up to 200 toll plaza crossings, whichever comes first. The one-time fee of Rs 3,000 covers unlimited convenience, removing the need for frequent FASTag recharges.

To gift the pass, users must open the app, select the ‘Add Pass’ option, and enter the recipient’s vehicle number and contact details. After a simple one-time password (OTP) verification, the pass activates automatically on the recipient’s FASTag within two hours. The scheme applies to all non-commercial vehicles with valid FASTags and is accepted at around 1,150 toll plazas across the country.

The ministry said the annual pass is part of its effort to make road travel easier, reduce toll plaza congestion, and promote digital transactions. Once the 200-crossing limit is reached, the FASTag automatically switches to the regular pay-per-trip mode.

For toll systems based on points, one-way crossings count as one trip, while return journeys count as two. In closed or ticketed systems, a full journey from entry to exit is treated as a single trip. Payments for the annual pass can be made via UPI, debit or credit cards, or net banking. However, FASTag wallet balances cannot be used for this payment.

The ministry also advised that FASTags linked only to a vehicle’s chassis number - common in new vehicles must be updated with the full registration number before the annual pass can be activated.

Launched on 15 August 2025, the FASTag annual pass has already crossed 25 lakh users and recorded nearly 5.67 crore transactions within two months. Officials said the strong response reflects public confidence in digital road travel solutions.

The ministry added that the initiative aligns with India’s growing highway network and the government’s vision of improving road user convenience through technology. Encouraging citizens to explore the feature this festive season, the ministry said the FASTag annual pass “offers not just ease of travel, but also the perfect Diwali gift for friends and family who love to drive and explore”.

Ankit Kumar is a Senior Sub Editor at Zee Business. He covers international affairs, politics, climate change, business, finance and global elections. With experience acros