Lok Sabha Question No. 4667 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-31
Subject: Wait-Time at Toll Plazas
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Srinivas Kesineni, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4667

## ANSWERED ON 31ST MARCH, 2022

## WAIT-TIME AT TOLL PLAZAS

4667. SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has analysed the effectiveness of FASTag in reducing the wait-time at toll plazas based on real time data from the toll plazas and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is monitoring the wait-time at toll plazas on National Highways (NHs) after the introduction of FASTag and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the reasons for long wait time at toll plazas on major NHs even after the implementation of FASTag;
- (d) whether the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) toll plaza rules released on 26th may, 2021 are still applicable;
- (e) if so, the reasons for violation of these rules at toll plazas as evident from long queues at toll plazas with wait-time of over nine minutes; and
- (f) whether the revenue realisation has improved after the implementation of FASTag as compared to earlier system and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) As per the impact assessment study on FASTag Programme,  following are the key findings with respect to improvement in vehicle throughput at National Highway fee plazas (i) In FASTag system, it takes 47 seconds per vehicle to cross a fee plaza. (ii) Throughput enhancement -More than 260 vehicles per hour can be processed per Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) lane per hour compared to 112 vehicles per hour per manual toll collection lane. (iii) Fee  transaction  processing  time  has  reduced  by  56%  due  to implementation of FASTag system at fee plazas which is enabling a fee plaza  operator  to  process  148  additional  vehicles  per  hour  per  lane translating  to  130%  increase  in  productivity  compared  to  manual  fee collection system. (b)  All  fee  plazas  including  identified  high  traffic  plazas  are  regularly monitored through live video feeds from these fee plazas at Command and Control Center set up at National Highways Authority of India, Headquarters. (c) Government has declared all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as FASTag Lane of the fee plaza with effect from midnight of 15th/16th February, 2021 in order to achieve 100% cashless collection at fee plaza which has resulted in reduced waiting time and minimized queues at fee plazas. However reasons for instances of long waiting time at National Highway fee plazas are as follows: i) Sometimes a FASTag user having low balance enters in the fee plaza lane which eventually results in longer processing time and increases the
- wait time for FASTag users in the lane queue.
- ii) Lack of discipline & entry of Non-FASTag vehicles in fee plaza lanesAfter the mandate of 100% FASTag with effect from 15/16 February, 2021, all lanes of fee plazas on National Highway have been declared as FASTag lanes. However, there are instances when some of the vehicles without FASTag enters in the fee plaza lane which increases the waiting time for FASTag users in the lane queue.
- iii) Internet Connectivity Issue -Due to intermittent internet connectivity at some fee plazas located at remote site, the status of low balance FASTag is not updated to Active FASTag in time at plaza servers. Owing to this, if the user approaches the  fee plazas during this period when tag status is not updated, the tag is declined to pass through and it increases the transaction processing time.
- iv) Wear and tear of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader and tag -Due to wear and tear/misalignment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)  readers  at  fee  plaza  lanes,  there  are  a  few  instances  when  the FASTag affixed on the windscreen is not properly read which delays the transaction  processing  time.  Also,  the  fee  transaction  processing  is delayed/time-consuming in cases where the FASTag affixed on windscreen are tampered/damaged, or carried in unauthorised manner by the vehicle user in hand or affixed on a piece of glass, etc.
- v) Improper affixation of FASTag by user: - In case of online purchase of FASTag by user, it has been observed that some vehicle users do not follow  the  correct  procedure  for  affixation  of  FASTag  on  the  front windshield which also affects the proper reading of FASTag at a fee plaza.
- (d) & (e) The provisions of the circular is to be followed in the projects where  Detailed  Project  Reports  (DPR)  are  in  progress  and  in  all  the projects where land for the fee plaza is yet to be acquired. In case where construction  of  the  toll  plaza  has  not  started,  the  fee  plaza  to  be  replanned  as  per  the  guidelines  of  the  circular  through  change  of  scope (COS) and the land already acquired be explored for effective utilization.
- (f) With the declaration of all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as FASTag  Lane  of  the  fee  plaza  with  effect  from  midnight  of  15th/16th February, 2021, transparency in fee collection has improved and opportunity  for  pilferage,  cash  handling  and  associated  issues  have reduced.

The comparison of fees collection through FASTag on National Highways Authority of India Fee plazas is as under:

| Financial Year                    | FASTag Collection (In Crore Rupees)   | Total Collection (In Crore Rupees)   | FASTag Penetration (%)   |
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 2020-2021                         | 25,291                                | 27,744                               | 91.15%                   |
| 2021-2022 (Till 24th March, 2022) | 32,451                                | 33,687                               | 96.33%                   |

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