New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS): Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) through FASTag has witnessed constant growth over the last few years, and total collection at fee plazas, including state highway fee plazas during calendar year 2022, was Rs 50,855 crore, an increase of approx. 46 per cent as compared to Rs 34,778 crore in 2021.

According to the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, the average daily toll collection through FASTag on NH fee plazas in December 2022 was Rs 134.44 crore, and the single day highest collection touched Rs 144.19 crore on December 24.

Similarly, the number of FASTag transactions also witnessed a growth of approx. 48 per cent in 2022 as compared to that in 2021. The number of FASTag transactions in 2021 and 2022 was 219 crores and 324 crores, respectively, said officials.

With 6.4 crores FASTags issued as on date, the total number of FASTag enabled fee plazas across the country also grew to 1,181 (including 323 state highway fee plazas) in 2022 from 922 in 2021. Notably, MoUs have been signed with 29 different state entities/authorities for on-boarding state fee plazas under FASTag programme, including states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, etc.

Officials said that FASTag implementation has reduced the waiting time at NH Fee Plazas significantly, resulting in enhanced user experience. The constant growth and adoption of FASTag by the highway users has helped in bringing more efficiency in toll operations. Deployment of Electronic Toll Collection system at various fee plazas along National Highways has brought transparency in the system and enabled correct valuation of road assets which has encouraged more investors to invest in the highway infrastructure of the country, particularly, in asset recycling.