The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing to introduce digital monthly and annual toll passes for residents living within a 20-kilometre radius of toll plazas. The initiative is aimed at making travel easier for local commuters while supporting the government’s transition to a barrier-less toll collection system across national highways.
The proposed passes will be linked directly to FASTag accounts and verified through Aadhaar-based identification, eliminating the need for physical passes and manual verification at toll booths.
Why the Government Is Introducing the New Passes
The move comes as India expands its Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system, where vehicles can pass through toll plazas without stopping. Instead of physical barriers, tolls are collected automatically using FASTag and number plate recognition technologies.
Officials have found that a large share of toll payment violations under the new system involve local residents who frequently cross nearby toll plazas. Many of them currently rely on manual verification or local familiarity with toll staff.
With automated tolling, such exemptions will no longer be possible, prompting the need for a dedicated digital solution.
How the New Pass Will Work
Under the proposed system, residents living within a 20-km radius of a toll plaza will be able to obtain digital monthly or annual passes. Their eligibility will be verified using Aadhaar and address records.
Once approved, the pass will be linked to the vehicle’s FASTag account and made available through the Rajmarg portal. Users will then be able to cross the designated toll plaza an unlimited number of times without facing repeated toll deductions.
The exact pricing of the new passes is still being finalised.
Current Rules Already Offer Local Benefits
At present, non-commercial vehicle owners residing near toll plazas can obtain a monthly local pass by paying ₹350 per month. However, the pass is usually issued physically at the toll plaza after document verification.
The new digital system is expected to simplify the process significantly and may even be priced lower than the current monthly pass, according to officials familiar with the proposal.
Part of India’s Barrier-Less Tolling Push
The initiative is closely linked to the rollout of Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling, which is already operational at select locations and is being expanded across the country.
Under the MLFF system, high-performance RFID readers and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras identify vehicles and automatically deduct toll charges. Vehicles that fail to pay are issued electronic notices and may face penalties.
Authorities believe digital local passes will help ensure that residents living near toll plazas are not unfairly affected by the transition to automated toll collection.
What It Means for Commuters
For people who regularly cross nearby toll plazas for work, business, education, or daily activities, the proposed annual and monthly passes could provide substantial convenience and cost savings.
The initiative could also reduce disputes at toll plazas, improve compliance, and support smoother implementation of India’s next-generation tolling infrastructure.
If approved and launched next month as planned, the digital pass system could become one of the most significant changes for local highway commuters in recent years, making toll travel simpler, faster, and more efficient.
