NHAI’s new local pass will increase MLFF compliance, reduce e-notices: Official

NHAI Annual Local Pass From November

The National Highway Authority of India will roll out an annual concessional local pass for residents living within a 20-km radius of a toll plaza, effective November 1. The facility is limited to non-commercial vehicles. Until now, only a monthly pass was offered to such residents. A senior NHAI official said the annual pass has two objectives: cutting the need for monthly renewals and manual documentation and physical verification, and pricing the pass below the sum of twelve monthly payments.

Why MLFF Compliance Matters

The second stated aim is to improve compliance under the Multi-lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system, currently live at seven fee plazas. After barrier-less tolling began at some plazas, e-notices issued to local vehicles rose sharply. The official attributed this to many locals either not holding a pass or failing to renew one, as they had earlier crossed toll gates on the strength of familiarity with toll employees. Under MLFF there is no gate staff, so an unpaid user fee within 72 hours attracts double the toll amount. The official said the intent is to bring all such users into the FASTag system.

Pricing And Coverage

The annual local pass will cost Rs 1,500 at fee plazas in local town areas and Rs 3,000 at plazas in urban areas. A monthly pass for a non-commercial vehicle currently costs Rs 350. Local passes apply at 97 urban and 861 rural (point-based) fee plazas on national highways, contributing roughly Rs 136 crore, or 0.2 per cent, of total user-fee collections. About 4 lakh people use monthly passes, with urban plazas accounting for the largest share. In Delhi-NCR, 7,800 passes have been issued at Bijwasan and about 3,000 each at Kherki Daula and Mundka-Bakkarwala.

What Businesses Should Watch

The pass is tied to a single fee plaza, is non-transferable and cannot be used elsewhere. It is not valid on a national highway or expressway where fees are levied under a closed user fee collection system…