Now, you can drive faster on Delhi roads

Friday, 21 May, 2010


Now, you can travel the entire stretch of Delhi-Gurgaon expressway or DND flyway at 80kmph without having traffic cops flag you down for speeding. In a move that attempts to bring road rules up to speed with ground realities -- and with various infrastructural projects getting completed ahead of Commonwealth Games -- Delhi traffic police has upped speed limits on several arterial roads in the city.

The new limits on most stretches now range between 50 to 80kmph and there are plans for further revision as more roads get cleared out in the near future. The move also puts Delhi in the league of international cities where speed limits are high on expressways and highways for quick vehicular transit and low in residential colonies and markets, where pedestrian movement is heavy.

With the changes, effective from May 20, the speed limits on all expressways is now 80kmph for cars and two wheelers. On most stretches of major roads like Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, it is 60kmph, and in residential areas, 25kmph. For trucks and buses, however, the limit has been fixed at 40kmph on all roads except residential areas where it is just 20kmph.

This is a deviation from the existing speed limits which were low and had been further reduced on several stretches to facilitate construction of flyovers, underpasses, Metro lines etc. With roads fast getting cleared out and restored, the traffic police felt the need to revise the limits.

"The speed limits on several stretches were unrealistic and needed to be increased. On parts of Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, the limits had been reduced wherever construction activity was on. Now that several roads have been restored, the speed limits have been increased," said Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (traffic).

The speed limit on Ring Road between Ashram and Azadpur flyover has been increased to 60kmph after the construction of Naraina flyover and road widening work has got completed. The limit has similarly been increased on Outer Ring Road between Modi Mill flyover and Olof Palme Marg as a new flyover has come up at Munirka and the construction of Delhi Metro's Hauz Khas station on the Gurgaon line is complete.

The traffic police plan to revise limits again on more stretches where construction is currently on. "The speed limit on National Highway-1 will be increased to 80kmph after road widening gets completed. The limit on Ring Road near Rajghat and Shanti Van will also be increased after the Salimgarh bypass gets operational," Chadha added. On all roads between Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, and those beyond Outer Ring Road, the limit is 50kmph for cars and two-wheelers.

The cops also felt a need to clear ambiguity about speed limits. Chadha said the police are going to put up speed limit signages to inform people about the limits above which they can be prosecuted for overspeeding.

Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Now-you-can-drive-faster-on-Delhi-roads/articleshow/5955962.cms