Fastag Annual Pass Will NOT Be Accepted On These Expressways: Full List

The National Highways Authority of India’s FASTag Annual Pass, launched on August 15, has drawn strong interest with more than five lakh subscriptions in just four days. At Rs 3,000, the pass offers up to 200 toll-free trips or one year of unlimited travel on NHAI-managed toll plazas. But for many road users, its usefulness is limited. Major state-managed expressways, which form the backbone of intercity travel in several states, remain outside its coverage.

Big Gaps in Coverage

For frequent travellers, the exclusions are hard to ignore. Some of the busiest and costliest routes in Uttar Pradesh, the Yamuna Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, and Meerut Expressway, are not covered.

Maharashtra has left out the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the new Samruddhi Mahamarg, both operated by the state road corporation. Karnataka’s Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway and parts of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway also fall outside the scheme.

Even in smaller states, gaps exist. The Atal Setu bridge in Goa has its own toll system, while other state highways across the country continue to operate independently. For motorists who mix national and state highways in a single journey, the pass creates a patchwork experience rather than a single seamless solution.

Who Can Use It

The annual pass is meant only for private, non-commercial vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans. Commercial vehicles, taxis, two-wheelers, and vehicles registered only by chassis number cannot apply. Each pass is tied to a specific FASTag and vehicle registration, and using it for an unauthorised vehicle leads to cancellation.

The system also counts trips differently depending on the type of toll plaza. On point-based plazas, a one-way trip uses up one count while a return journey counts as two. On closed systems with entry and exit tolling, the entire journey is logged as a single trip. For people who make frequent long-distance drives, this counting method becomes important for budgeting their usage.

Process and Practical Value

Activation requires users to submit vehicle details through the Rajmarg Yatra app or the NHAI website, along with the Rs 3,000 payment. Confirmation typically comes within a couple of hours, and the pass runs alongside the regular FASTag account. Once the limit or validity period ends, accounts automatically shift back to normal charging unless renewed with a fresh payment.

For those who mostly travel on national highways, the scheme can mean meaningful savings. But drivers whose regular routes involve state-managed expressways may find little benefit, since standard toll deductions still apply there. This creates an uneven balance where some travellers save significantly while others see almost no change.

Fragmented Tolling Still an Issue

The limited reach of the annual pass highlights the broader challenge of fragmented toll policy in India. The central government has standardised tolling on national highways through FASTag, but state agencies continue to run their own pricing and collection systems. Parking charges and commercial vehicle tolls are also left out, adding to the patchwork.

For now, the FASTag Annual Pass is a step forward, but its real value will depend on individual travel patterns. Unless state highways and expressways are brought under a common framework, motorists will continue to juggle different systems - and the promise of truly seamless travel will remain out of reach.