The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has extended the digital “local pass” facility for 121 toll plazas across its network. It enables local residents around a toll plaza to obtain a monthly pass through the Rajmargyatra app. The pass allows a commuter to cross the respective toll plaza unlimited times in a month for a fee.
The initiative is aimed at pushing for multi-lane free flow (MLFF) or barrier-less tolling systems at several toll plazas, where commuters do not have to stop to pay the toll. The first Digital Local Pass facility was launched in July 2026 at the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza on Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) in Delhi. The MLFF system at the toll plaza was made operational on May 11.
Officials said that the facility will be launched at more toll plazas in the coming month.
According to NHAI, residents living within a 20-km radius of a toll plaza are eligible to purchase a ‘local pass’ digitally through the Rajmargyatra app. Earlier, commuters were required to visit the toll plaza and submit supporting documents to establish their eligibility. This process can now be done digitally in a few minutes.
According to the National Highway user fee rules, a monthly pass for Rs 350 is issued at the concerned toll plaza to a resident (for a non-commercial vehicle) for clearing the toll gate. The commuters have to show it to cross the toll gate.
The digital local pass facility is integrated with DigiLocker and VAHAN, which retrieve the commuter’s address to verify the 20-km radius condition, vehicle details and the linked FASTag to issue the pass. This removes the need for manual documentation and physical verification.
Commuters who do not live near these 121 toll plazas, however, must visit the nearby plaza to obtain a monthly pass.
While the digital local pass is part of the government’s Digital India project, its implementation picked pace after the NHAI started implementing the MLFF system at its toll plazas.
The barrier-less tolling system is currently operational at six toll plazas, namely Choryasi, Mundaka, Daulatpura, Gharaunda, Manoharpur, and Shahjahanpur. Officials said that among the e-notices issued for non-payment of toll, residents within a 20-km radius constituted a large share. It was found that many residents who did not possess the pass would usually frequent the toll gate based on their familiarity with the toll gate staff.
But since the MLFF system doesn’t have human intervention at the toll booths, this led to an increase in issuance of e-notices against such vehicles. Now, with a digital monthly pass linked to FASTag, local residents are required to buy it; otherwise, e-notices can require them to pay double the toll amount.
The full list of new toll plazas added for the digital monthly pass is available on the Rajmargyatra app and includes Bartana in Haryana, Bharatkund in Uttar Pradesh, Bhramanapalli in Andhra Pradesh, Boothakudi in Tamil Nadu, Chikhalikala in Madhya Pradesh, and Devkuli in Bihar.
Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with the Business Bureau of The Indian Express. He plays a critical role in covering India's massive infrastructure sectors, providing in-depth reporting on the connectivity lifelines of the nation. Expertise & Focus Areas: Mishra’s journalism is focused on two of the country's most capital-intensive and public-facing ministries: Ministry of Railways: Tracking the operations, safety, and development of India's vast railway network. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: Covering policy decisions, infrastructure projects, and highway development. What sets Mishra apart is his rigorous use of the Right to Information (RTI) Actas a primary tool for news gathering. By relying on official data and government records, he ensures a high degree of accuracy and trustworthiness in his reporting. This data-driven approach has resulted in numerous impactful reports that hold public institutions accountable and bring transparency to government operations. Find all stories by Dheeraj Mishra here ... Read More
