The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) recently introduced an annual toll pass for private vehicles priced at ₹3,000. The pass allows either 200 toll-free trips or a full year’s validity. While many people are just learning about it, a Noida resident showcased the true value of the scheme by documenting his extraordinary road journey.

25-Day Solo Road Trip Across 13 States

The man set out alone in his Mahindra Thar, covering nearly 11,000 kilometers in just 25 days. During this time, he visited 12 Jyotirlinga temples and completed the Char Dham yatra across 13 states. Sharing his journey online, he humorously remarked that he deserved an award for making the most of his annual pass.

Major Savings with the Pass

His annual pass originally granted 199 trips, but on returning home, 80 were still left unused. This reveals that he crossed approximately 119 toll plazas on his trip. Normally, tolls for such extensive travel would have cost between ₹15,000 and ₹17,000, but the pass helped him save a significant amount.

However, there were limitations. The pass was not applicable everywhere. For instance:

• He had to pay ₹1,200 separately on the Lucknow–Agra Expressway.

• In Tamil Nadu and some other regions, he spent an additional ₹2,400.

• He also drove around 200 extra kilometers just to enjoy the roads, which raised his fuel costs.

Despite these expenses, he still found the pass highly cost-effective.

Social Media Buzz

The video capturing his journey, shared on September 24, quickly went viral, crossing 1 million views on Instagram. Users praised his feat with comments like, "This isn’t just a trip, it’s an achievement" and "Covering 11,000 km in less than 30 days is incredible." Another traveler also shared their experience of completing 180 trips using the same pass.

Some users, however, raised questions about why extra tolls were charged despite holding the annual pass, sparking further conversations online.

Vehicles Eligible for the Pass

As per NHAI rules, the annual pass is available only for private cars, jeeps, and vans. Key points include:

• The vehicle must have an active FASTag linked to it.

• Vehicles blacklisted or registered only with a chassis number are not eligible.

• The scheme excludes commercial vehicles like buses and trucks.

This Noida resident’s experience highlights just how beneficial the FASTag annual pass can be for frequent or long-distance travelers. Used strategically, it can drastically reduce toll expenses while making road trips easier on the pocket.