Delhi: Speed limit for all cabs, major roads increased

NEW DELHI: With Delhi Traffic Police notifying new speed limits for motor vehicles in the capital on Friday, there was some good news for taxis and app-based cabs.
They have been shifted from the category of TSRs (autorickshaws) and Grameen Sewa to that of private cars and jeeps. With this, their speed limit has got enhanced from 40 kmph to 50 kmph.The speed limits on many major roads have also been increased.
The speed limit for cars on the interior roads remains largely unchanged at 50 kmph, but changes have been made for some major arteries. For instance, it has been increased on stretches like Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar to Mukarba Chowk, NH9-Millennium Park to Ghazipur border and Radisson road in Dwarka.
On arterial roads, private cars, taxis cannot breach 50 km/hr
The traffic police has fixed the speed limit on most roads, highways and flyovers at 50-70km/h for M1 category vehicles i.e. cars, jeeps, taxis and app-based cabs. Some of these roads are the Noida toll road, Saleemgarh bypass road, Barapullah elevated road, Northern Access Road, Central Spine Road, Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, Pushta road and Indira Gandhi International Airport road. On arterial roads, these vehicles cannot breach a speed of 50 km/hr. On all minor roads inside residential areas, commercial markets and service roads, the speed limit for these vehicles has been fixed at 30 km/hr.
For two-wheelers, i.e. motorbikes, scooters, etc (not in any specific category), the maximum speed limit on most roads, highways and flyovers has been fixed at 50-60km/hr in order to match the speed limit of cars. On roads inside residential areas, commercial markets and service roads, a speed limit of 30 km/hr will have to be adhered to.
The speed limit for M2 category vehicles and light motor vehicles, which include passenger vehicles with nine or more seats in addition to the driver’s seat, delivery vans, etc has been fixed at 50-60 km/hr on most roads.
The speed limit for all other transport vehicles, including Grameen Sewa, TSRs, Phat-Phat Sewa, and quadricycles remains at a uniform 40 km/hr.
These speed limits will come into effect immediately. No cognisance of any violation will be taken if the speed is within 5% of the maximum speed.
“The same speed limits were being followed for the past 10 years. Road dynamics have changed quite a bit since then. In order to ensure safety of commuters, we had chalked out a comprehensive plan,” said Satyawan Gautam, DCP modernisation (traffic). “The first meeting for this project was held in 2019, and since then, we have been closely considering all factors that could affect the speed limits, only after which we came up with the revised speed limits on a few stretches.”
He said the critical factors which influenced their decision were the number of accidents that take place at a particular place, road conditions, inhabitants living across the road and road infrastructure like foot overbridges, underpasses, subways, etc. “Our staff has been in touch with the roadowning authorities, mostly PWD in this case, and has asked them to put up new signboards at the earliest,” he added.
The biggest change in this revision is the change in the speed limit for cabs. “After due deliberation, the expert committee has suggested that the speed limit for the same class of motor vehicles should be the same i.e private cars and taxis and cabs should have parity,” said Meenu Choudhary, joint commissioner of police, traffic (operations).
The speed limits on nine stretches have been increased. These are Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar to Mukarba Chowk (from 50 kmph to 60 kmph); Ring Road at Chandgi Ram Akhara to Azadpur flyover via ISBT, Rajghat, ITO, Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram Chowk, AIIMS, Dhaula Kuan/Naraina, Punjabi Bagh (From 50 kmph to 60 kmph); Outer Ring Road, from District Centre Janakpuri via Peeragarhi, Mukarba crossing via Burari crossing, up to Chandgi Ram Akhara (from 50 kmph to 60 kmph); NH9 (Earlier NH24) - Millenium Park - Ghazipur border (from 60 kmph to 70 kmph); Northern Access Road, from Red Light NSG to T-Point of Northern Access and Central Spine (from 50 kmph to 70 kmph); Central Spine Road, from Mahipalpur Chowk to Terminal-III, IGI Airport (from 50kmph to 70 kmph); Radisson Road, from T-Point Radisson Hotel to Terminal-III, IGI Airport (from 50 kmph to 60 kmph); Terminal-II, IGI Airport Road from T-point of Terminal-II Road and Central Spine to Terminal-II, IGI Airport (from 50 kmph to 60 kmph); and Barapullah Nallah Road, from Sarai Kale Khan up to Aurobindo Marg crossing (from 50 kmph to 60 kmph).