The average waiting time of vehicles at toll plazas rose 29 percent between December 2019 and January 2020 even after rollout of electronic toll collection through FASTags, the Hindustan Times reported.

This despite toll payments through FASTags increasing by at least 60 percent of total toll collections during the given period, data from the transport ministry revealed.

Citing data from the central toll plaza traffic monitoring system, which is currently live at 488 plazas, the report stated the average waiting time for a vehicle was seven minutes and 44 seconds between November 15, 2019, and December 14, 2019. This waiting time went up to nine minutes and 57 seconds between December 15, 2019 and January 14, 2020, the data showed.

The average waiting time for a vehicle at a toll plaza is calculated by the time travelled by each vehicle to cross the toll plazas and is calculated within one km distance of the booths.

Also read | FASTag not reading? Trip for free, says NHAI

The average waiting time of vehicles at plazas on the day FASTags started being used -- December 15 -- were recorded higher than the same day in the preceding year. The waiting time was recorded 10 minutes and four seconds on December 15, 2018, while it was 12 minutes on the day in 2019, it said.

The annual average wait time at toll plazas has also been increased. In 2018, this was eight minutes and 16 seconds which increased to nine minutes and 12 seconds last year (till November 2019), the report added.

Also read | Ministry of Highways temporarily relaxes FASTag Rules for 65 NHAI toll plazas

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system, operated by the National Highway Authority of India. It is a prepaid tag, affixed on the vehicle's windscreen, which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets the vehicle pass through the toll plaza without stopping.