The government is considering the introduction of monthly and yearly toll passes for private vehicles on National Highways. With private vehicles contributing only 26% to toll revenue, the move aims to simplify toll payments without impacting overall collections.

Speaking at an event last week, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari noted that 74% of toll revenue comes from commercial vehicles. "We are exploring the possibility of offering monthly or annual passes for private vehicles to reduce inconvenience for commuters," he said.

To address congestion, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to implement a barrier-less global navigation satellite system (GNSS)--based toll collection system alongside FASTag. This system, tested on sections of NH-275 in Karnataka and NH-709 in Haryana, charges motorists based on the exact distance travelled.

Additionally, toll booths will be relocated outside villages to minimize disruption to local residents.

The introduction of FASTags has already reduced average waiting times at toll plazas from 8 minutes in 2018-19 to 47 seconds in 2020-22. However, delays persist in high-traffic areas, prompting the push for further innovations.

The proposed measures aim to ease travel for private vehicle owners while maintaining efficient toll collection.