Key Details
The National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026 add an annual option for eligible local commuters. The pass covers one specified fee plaza, not travel across the highway network.
Provision | What It Means |
|---|---|
Eligibility | The owner must live within 20 km of the plaza, use a non-commercial vehicle and have a valid, functional FASTag. |
Annual charge | ₹1,500 where the plaza is outside a municipal or local town area; ₹3,000 where it is within those limits. |
Choice of pass | An eligible commuter may choose between the existing local monthly pass and the new annual local pass. |
Exclusions | The pass is unavailable on highways or expressways using a closed toll-collection system, or where a service road or alternative road is available. |
Start and access | Available at eligible plazas from 1 November 2026, and through the Rajmargyatra app from 1 December 2026. Rates may be revised annually, with changes taking effect on 1 April. |
An Annual Option for Frequent Local Travel
Residents near a toll plaza may cross it repeatedly for work, education or essential services. The new pass replaces repeated monthly renewals with a one-year payment option, while leaving the monthly pass available for those who prefer it. Whether the annual option saves a particular household money depends on its current monthly-pass cost and how often it uses the plaza.
This is a local pass tied to one plaza. It is distinct from the existing FASTag Annual Pass, which covers eligible crossings across multiple national highway and expressway fee plazas, subject to that pass’s separate conditions.
Eligibility Depends on the Road and Plaza
Living within 20 km does not by itself guarantee the concession. Vehicle type, FASTag status, the plaza’s location and the availability of an alternative route all matter. The exclusions also mean that two residents making similar trips could face different pass options depending on how their highway section collects tolls.
Policy Relevance
Clear eligibility information at each plaza will determine whether residents can use the new option without uncertainty. NHAI will need to make the applicable rate, required proof of residence, excluded road sections and application process easy to check—particularly during November, before app-based access begins.
The policy also raises a practical question of local access: where a service road or alternative route rules out the pass, the usefulness and condition of that route matter to commuters. Take-up, rejected applications and complaints would help show whether the concession is reaching the residents it is intended to benefit.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will NHAI make pass eligibility and exclusions clear at each fee plaza, and assess whether the alternative routes used to justify exclusions meet local travel needs?
Follow the Full News Here: Government Introduces Concessional Local Pass for National Highway Users Living Near Fee Plazas