The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has expanded its digital FASTag Local Pass facility to 121 toll plazas across India, making it easier for eligible local commuters to obtain a monthly toll pass without visiting a toll plaza.

Under the new system, eligible commuters can apply for the Local Pass through the Rajmargyatra mobile app. The facility removes the need for physical visits and manual submission of documents where the required information can be verified digitally.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the initiative is aimed at making National Highway travel more convenient and citizen-friendly.

Who is eligible for the Rs 350 monthly toll pass?

The Local Pass is intended for residents living within a 20-km radius of an eligible toll plaza.

The monthly pass, starting at Rs 350, allows eligible commuters to make unlimited journeys through the respective toll plaza during the month, subject to applicable rules.

It can be particularly useful for people who regularly cross the same toll plaza for work, daily errands or other routine travel.

However, the digital Local Pass facility is currently available only at 121 toll plazas. Commuters therefore need to check whether their toll plaza is covered before applying.

How to apply for the NHAI Local Pass

Eligible commuters can apply for the Local Pass through the Rajmargyatra mobile app.

The digital system uses consent-based integration with government platforms such as DigiLocker and VAHAN to verify information related to the applicant.

The details checked include the applicant’s residential address, vehicle information and the FASTag linked to the vehicle.

The applicant’s eligibility is then determined through GIS-based verification, which checks whether the registered residential address falls within the prescribed 20-km radius of the relevant toll plaza.

What information is checked?

After obtaining the applicant’s consent, the system retrieves relevant information from digital government records.

The information includes:

• Residential address
• Vehicle details
• FASTag linked to the vehicle
• Location of the registered address in relation to the toll plaza

According to the Ministry, digital records and GIS-based verification eliminate the need for manual documentation and physical verification where the required information can be verified digitally.

Where is the digital Local Pass available?

NHAI has extended the digital Local Pass facility to 121 toll plazas across the country.

Commuters can check the list of eligible toll plazas through the Rajmargyatra portal before starting the application process.

The facility was initially introduced in July 2026 at the Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on Delhi’s Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II). It was subsequently expanded to more than 120 toll plazas.

The government has said the facility will be rolled out at additional toll plazas in the coming months.

Why has NHAI introduced the digital system?

Previously, commuters seeking a Local Pass had to visit the concerned toll plaza and submit documents to establish that they lived within the required 20-km radius.

The new digital process is intended to reduce paperwork and manual intervention while making the eligibility verification process quicker and more transparent.

The government has described the initiative as part of the Digital India vision and its efforts to improve the Ease of Living for citizens.

For eligible local commuters who frequently use a covered toll plaza, the monthly pass starting at Rs 350 provides an online alternative to the earlier physical application process.

The Union Cabinet has decided to set up a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.

Shah said the decision, taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will significantly improve access to justice for citizens living in remote areas of the Union Territory.

According to the Home Minister, the establishment of the bench will reduce the time required for people in Ladakh to access the legal services they are entitled to.

“The Union Cabinet, under the leadership of the PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, has decided to set up a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh,” Shah said in a message posted on X.

He added that the move will significantly enhance access to justice for citizens living in remote parts of Ladakh by reducing the time needed to avail themselves of legal services.

Shah further said that the government is fully committed to the all-round development of Ladakh and to ensuring constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory.

A fresh dispute over the Parkal Assembly seat has brought internal differences in the Telangana Congress into the open, with Konda Sushmita, daughter of senior minister Konda Surekha, publicly challenging Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Speaking in Parkal on Wednesday, Sushmita questioned the chief minister’s support for sitting MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy and openly challenged his authority over the Congress ticket. Sushmita is aspiring to contest from Parkal on a Congress ticket.

Responding to Revanth Reddy’s backing of the sitting MLA, Sushmita said there was no need to wait for two years and suggested that the MLA should resign and seek a fresh mandate immediately.

She further escalated her remarks by saying, “Whether you, your father, or your grandfather come, I will be the MLA of Parkal.”

Sushmita also said she was prepared to contest the election as an independent candidate if the Congress did not give her the ticket.

Konda Sushmita questions Revanth Reddy’s authority

Sushmita directly questioned the chief minister’s role in deciding her electoral prospects, asking, “Who is Revanth to decide my ticket?”

She also accused Revanth Reddy of arrogance and alleged that his leadership had turned the Congress into a “TD Congress”. She claimed that several leaders associated with the original Congress were unhappy with the direction of the party.

Sushmita also made allegations concerning a Rs 200-crore land deal involving the chief minister’s brother. She warned that she could reveal what she described as other alleged scams involving members of Revanth Reddy’s family.

These allegations were made by Sushmita and are presented as such.

Congress moves into damage control

The public confrontation has prompted disciplinary action within the Telangana Congress.

The party’s state disciplinary committee has sought an explanation from Konda Surekha within three days over her daughter’s remarks against Revanth Reddy.

Separately, senior leader Jakkidi Prabhakar Reddy was suspended, while former minister and Planning Board vice-chairman Chinna Reddy was also asked to explain his position.

The actions came after the Congress high command had emphasised that indiscipline at the ministerial level would not be tolerated and that differences within the party should be resolved internally.

Komatireddy factor adds to Congress tensions

The latest confrontation has also brought the role of Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy into focus.

Rajagopal Reddy has publicly criticised the Revanth Reddy government, including by raising corruption-related allegations and questioning the role of outsiders and sections of the administration.

His criticism adds another dimension to the internal tensions already visible within the Telangana Congress.

Old guard vs Revanth-era leadership

At the centre of the dispute is a broader divide between the Congress’s established leadership and the power structure that has emerged under Revanth Reddy.

The party’s senior leadership includes Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Damodar Rajanarasimha and Konda Surekha, along with veteran leader V Hanumantha Rao. Several of these leaders had previously expressed reservations about Revanth Reddy’s rise and his elevation as TPCC chief.

On the other side is the organisational structure associated with Revanth Reddy’s leadership. It includes TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, CWC special invitee Ch Vamshi Chand Reddy, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Rajya Sabha MPs Anil Kumar Yadav and Vem Narender Reddy.

Ministers including Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and D Anasuya Seethakka have also been described as being aligned with Revanth Reddy.

What happens next in Telangana Congress?

The public challenge from Konda Sushmita has turned what could have remained an internal ticket dispute into a broader political confrontation.

The Congress leadership now faces the challenge of managing dissent among senior leaders while maintaining the authority of the chief minister. A tough disciplinary approach could risk further alienating established leaders with regional influence, while allowing open dissent to continue could weaken the leadership’s control over the state unit.

For now, the Parkal ticket dispute has become another visible sign of the internal tensions within the Telangana Congress.