Govt to implement nationwide barrier-free FASTag toll collection by 2026
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New Delhi: The government plans to deploy barrier-free toll collection at all 1,050 toll plazas in the country by 2026, and over 40 lakh annual FASTag passes have been granted in four months since August, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.
Answering questions during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari stated that yearly FASTag permits will allow private cars to pass through 200 toll plazas for Rs 3,000 per year, or Rs 15 per toll.
The pass is much cheaper when compared to the current cost of Rs 15,000 for crossing 200 tolls, PTI reported.
“By 2026, we will put in place sophisticated AI-based system for collecting tolls at all the 1,050 plazas, which include 350 private toll booths and 700 government). Cars can move at Rs 80km/hour on highways without stopping at toll plazas,” Gadkari said.
The minister said the new barrier-free seamless highway and expressway toll collection system will replace the current system of toll collection, wherein cars have to stop at toll plazas for money to be deducted from the FASTag.
Beginning August 15, 2025, the government has started the FASTag annual pass. The annual pass eliminates the need to frequently recharge FASTag through a one-time fee payment of Rs 3,000 for one-year validity or 200 toll plaza crossings.