Realising their folly, the Delhi Traffic Police on Wednesday decided to increase the speed limit on the National Highway 24 (Delhi-Meerut Expressway) to 70 km/hr for all light motorised vehicles, excluding three seater auto-rickshaw. The 60 km/hr limit they have been enforcing with punitive action so far was in conflict with the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) 70 km/hr speed limit.
The decision comes after traffic police cancelled 1.4 lakh challans issued to motorists for speeding on NH24 (NH9) at 60 km/hr, between Millennium Park and Ghazipur, since August even as the signboards indicated a speed limit of 70 km/hr.
But what about those who have already paid the fines? The traffic police are in talks with the transport department to find ways to refund the money. They even decided to approach the transport commissioner to consider refunding the money charged from the motorists unlawfully, but are noncommittal on the payment as they say there is no provision in the law for refund.
Anjitha Chepyala, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said the decision to increase the limit, passed through an order under the Delhi Police Act, was taken due to the difference in the speed limits fixed by the traffic police in its speed detection cameras and the signboards set up by the NHAI on the highway.
The traffic police on Tuesday had said that they were withdrawing all the 1.4 lakh challans issued to motorists who were caught on camera “violating” the speed limit on NH 24 from August this year. The vehicle owners were informed about ‘speeding’ via text messages.
In Delhi’s residential colonies, the speed limit is 30 km/hr while for national highways passing through the city, the speed limit ranges from 50km/hr to 70 km/hr. The speed limit on other roads ranges from 50 km/hr to 70 km/hr, according to the Delhi traffic police.
The speed limit may eventually be fixed for all other highway stretches in the National Capital. However, the speed limit for all goods carrier will continue to remain at 40 km/hr.
