In a welcome update, the Central government has approved the maximum speed limit on urban roads to 70 kmph for cars on urban roads. The new mandate has also increased the speed limit for cargo vehicles to 60 kmph and two-wheelers to 50 kmph. The move increases the local speed limit from the current 40-50 kmph. That said, the centre has also ruled that state governments or local authorities can specify the speed limits for each category considering the safety of other road users and road conditions. This means that while cities won't be able to set the speed limit higher than the ones now prescribed, they will be able to set lower bars as required.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth), Nitin Gadkari cleared the bill earlier this week for capping the speed limit for all types of vehicles on four categories of roads. A committee headed by joint secretary (transport) Abhay Damle had recommended higher speed limits on expressways and for buses on highways. The ministry increased the speed limit on expressways to 120 kmph earlier this year.
Until now, the road transport ministry had set the national maximum speed limit for different category of vehicles with no clarity for local or state authorities on imposing speed limits. Nevertheless, the decision has been a long due one considering the improving road network and infrastructure and of course, the rapidly increasing car population on Indian roads.
The road ministry's decision to increase the speed limit is also said to have been prompted by the growing number of ring roads and the arterial stretches coming up in urban areas.
The proposal also recommends that no action will be taken on drivers exceeding the speed limit by a maximum of 5 per cent, which equates to about 73-74 kmph.
