Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways recently announced speed relief on expressways. As reported by The Indian Express, Gadkari said that no traffic challans would be issued for vehicles travelling at a speed of up to 120 kmph on expressways. Additionally, he also announced a 20% speeding buffer for motorists exceeding this new speed limit.
While many have welcomed the move, a few raised safety concerns for travellers.
“Some people are receiving notices on the road due to speed. I have instructed that no notices should be sent for speeds up to 120 kmph. And even above 120, if someone exceeds it by 20%, let them go. If someone goes beyond this, issue a challan,” Nitin Gadkari said, as quoted by the publication.
Reacting to the statement, a user wrote on X, “Does he fully understand the math? 20% of 120 is 24 km/h That means people can drive at 144 km/h !! Death traps One more reason to stay off Indian highways.”
“Your roads are not designed for 120 kmph on many starch. Dont risk motorist life (Sic),” added another.
Someone else said, “Are the Indian roads made to withstand that speed. The carts – The animals – two wheeler riders – pedestrians will vanish from the roads in a quick time.”
In the comment section of a post, a different user wrote, “If only there’s penalty on slow moving vehicles driving on the right lane, a lot of accidents can be avoided and even traffic jams can be avoided. Slow moving vehicles on the right lane create traffic clusters which slow down the entire road and create unsafe weaving patterns that increase the risk of accidents.”
Yet another pointed out, “Risking your life if driving above 100KMpH.. safety is a big concern in Indian highways.. on paper and political statements looks good but don’t dare to risk your lives.. pls.”
One more argued, “Infrastructure is not a problem in India. Speed limit is a last resort. First, following lane discipline is important. If slow-moving 40kmph vehicles occupy every lane and move parallel, they don’t allow other vehicles to move.”
The statement was made by the minister at an event. Gadkari was attending an event organised by industry body CII which focused on the future of India’s highways.
He also urged for industry support in order to implement an -based Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS). The system is said to boost enforcement and detect violations effectively.
