New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Wednesday announced the launch of a FASTag-based annual pass priced at Rs 3,000 for cars, with effect from August 15 this year, in what he termed as “a transformative step towards hassle-free highway travel.”

The minister said that the pass would be valid for one year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips — whichever comes first — this pass is designed exclusively for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans.

The annual pass will enable seamless and cost-effective travel across National Highways throughout the country. A dedicated link for activation and renewal will soon be made available on the Rajmarg Yatra App as well as on the official websites of NHAI and MoRTH, Gadkari explained.

The minister said this policy addresses long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas located within a 60-km range and simplifies toll payments through a single, affordable transaction. By reducing wait times, easing congestion, and minimising disputes at toll plazas, the annual pass aims to deliver a faster and smoother travel experience for millions of private vehicle owners, he added.

Meanwhile, the average annual construction of National Highways has jumped by a massive 130 per cent during 2014-2024 as compared to the previous 10 years from 2004-2014. This has taken the length of national highways constructed during the last 10 years to 1,01,900 km, Gadkari informed Parliament recently.

Presently 1,366 projects having a total length of about 32,366 km are under construction in the entire country, including in the States of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and all North-Eastern States, without attaining any of the various stages of project completion and excluding projects under consideration for termination/foreclosure. Most of these projects are targeted to be completed in phases by Financial Year 2028.

The length of India’s national highways network increased by 60 per cent from 91,287 km to 1,46,204 km during the last decade, with the pace of highway construction accelerating to 34 km/day from 11.6 km/day in 2014. There is an increase of 6.4 times in the Centre’s investment in road infrastructure between 2013-14 and 2024-25. The road transport and highway budget has shot up by 570 per cent from 2014 to 2023-24, according to latest government data.

–IANS

sps/na