Toll booths have been the most irritating halt that one associates with an Indian highway experience. Long lines, disputes over cash, regular stops and unpredictable travel times were accepted as essential companions on a road journey. With the phenomenal development of the National Highway network in India such spots came under greater observation.
Away from the slogans of politics or announcements in leading news publications, a new change has also been taking place: reforms and technology, focused on the commuter.
Driven by the tremendous increase in National Highways, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have realised that it is not only about increasing infrastructure but also about improving efficiency, affordability, and ease of access and movement. During the previous decade, tolling systems began with manual cash and cash boxes and reached digital systems and services at Toll Plaza with limited human interface and involvement. In 2025, this shifted to a more people-friendly approach that included not only reducing highway congestion.
FASTag: From Compliance Tool to Commuter Relief
The purpose behind launching the FASTag system was to reduce congestion and make things more transparent. Over the years, it has become a universal phenomenon, with approximately 98 per cent of vehicles now utilising the system when approaching toll booths. To date, the issue of repeated tolls is a concern for commuters travelling between satellite towns and cities.
The launch of the FASTag Annual Pass on August 15, 2025 has been an important paradigm shift in this respect. The Annual Pass will cost Rs 3,000 and will provide 200 toll transactions or one year of validity, whichever is earlier, at 1,159 toll plazas across the country. The effect of this on frequent commuters is an end to the fluctuating monthly expenditure.
The effect has been accepted by commuters travelling between places such as Unnao and Lucknow, or Yamuna Nagar and Chandigarh, who have noticed significant declines in per-trip toll costs, as well as time savings at tolls. What’s most noteworthy is the factor of economy, along with certainty. Then, by factoring in recharging as well as variable tolling costs, frequent highway users have been able to budget their trips with certainty.
The figures underline the demand for such rationalisation. More than 40 lakh Annual Passes were sold in a few months, covering nearly one-fifth of private car users. This uptake suggests that when pricing structures reflect commuters’ lived realities, digital adoption follows naturally.
While FASTag dominates toll payments, MoRTH has also refined its approach to digital inclusion; earlier non-FASTag users had to pay double the toll, a policy that has pushed compliance. It drew criticism for becoming punitive. The revised framework reduces it to 1.25 times the toll rate for UPI payments, thereby making alternatives more affordable digitally without disproportionately penalising users.
The results have been measurable. Between mid-November and early December 2025, the toll plazas reported more than 15 lakh UPI transactions valued at Rs 19.44 crore. During this period, cash collection contracted by about 25 per cent, easing congestion and bringing greater transparency.
This calibrated approach reflects a broader governance philosophy, using incentives and convenience to change behaviour rather than relying solely on penalties. For commuters, the benefit is straightforward quicker scans, fewer arguments and smoother passage through toll plazas.
Barrier-Free Tolling: Ending the Stop-and-Go Era
The most consequential reform in the pipeline is moving towards barrier-free tolling through MLFF systems. For drivers of heavy vehicles, the processes of stopping and re-starting at a toll booth have long represented fuel loss, mechanical strain and cumulative delays on long drives.
While India first MLFF tolling system has already been awarded for implementation at the Choryasi Fee Plaza on National Highway 48 in Gujarat, commencing its operation in 2026, five more such projects have been awarded in parallel, marking the beginning of a decisive shift towards modern tolling infrastructure.
Under MLFF, vehicles will pass through the toll zones at highway speeds and the toll will be deducted automatically based on vehicle identification technologies. No barrier, no queue, and no forced deceleration. International experience suggests that such systems significantly reduce travel time and fuel consumption, particularly for freight movement. For India, where logistics costs are linked with economic competitiveness, the implications go beyond commuter comfort.
Fairness During Construction: Paying Less for Less
The expansion of highways always results in temporary effects such as diversions, speed reductions, and uneven road surfaces. MoRTH has amended tolling regulations regarding equity during the expansion period. If a two-lane highway with paved shoulders is being upgraded into a four- or six-lane highway, tolls are only charged at 50 percent during the expansion period.
This principle of proportional payment promotes accountability. Users do not pay the normal charges for the partially provided infrastructural service. These actions, although less noticeable than the provision of new roads, boost community confidence in the system.
Strengthening the FASTag Ecosystem
Apart from the pricing and payment method issues, other system-focused changes primarily aim to fill gaps and enhance user-friendliness. Efforts such as “One Vehicle, One FASTag” can limit misuses and ties between FASTag and the VAHAN system are working toward reducing any malpractices regarding motor vehicle classes. There are fines for loose FASTag to improve plaza functioning.
Redressing grievances is also of paramount importance. There are various mechanisms, such as the 1033 helpline, bank support systems, email assistance, and the “RajmargYatra App,” where users can complain about issues or two. In an environment of millions of daily transactions, these mechanisms are invaluable for maintaining people’s confidence in the system.
Good Governance Story Hidden in Plain Sight
The common thread running through these reforms is a gradual process of change rather than a revolutionary declaration or a bold vision of a future highway system. Rather than addressing a particular pain point in highway usage through a specific change, such as UPI rewards for payments or free tolls at highway barriers in some States, a mindset of governance improvement through broader usage feedback seems to be at work here.
Such projects might rarely be featured on prime-time television, but they affect people on a daily basis. Smaller queues, predictable costs, less fuel waste, and less-stressful trips overall improve ease of living, as policymakers talk about.
While India is increasing its road network, the next level of development is about experience. The transformation in tolls is proof that development and ease of access need not be in conflict, either. When development policies are catered to in accordance with actual grounds and experiences, even commuting can be made easy, and this itself is an achievement.
