Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has suggested that the speed limits on India’s expressways and national highways could be increased, following discussions with the states. Speaking at an event on Thursday, Gadkari said that the new network of high-speed expressways and highways could handle higher speeds than the current prescribed limits, and that lower speed limits posed challenges for commuters. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which Gadkari heads, is responsible for setting speed limits, and the effort to increase limits is part of the Ministry’s process to improve the safety and efficiency of India’s road network.
Currently, some of India’s expressways allow speed limits of up to 120 kmph for light vehicles like cars, while most national highways have a speed limit of 100 kmph or lower. The current speed limit was set by the Centre in 2018 through a notification. Gadkari has suggested that new speed limits will be formulated based on the type of road, and could vary depending on whether it’s an access control highway, an 8-lane, 6-lane, 4-lane, or 2-lane highway.
However, the Centre needs to have all the states on board to implement the new speed limits, and the states are empowered to take a final call on the speed limit on the section of the expressway or highway passing through its border. Gadkari has said that the Centre is ready to discuss the matter with respective states before finalising new speed limits.
Gadkari’s remarks come at a time when overspeeding has been the biggest killer on Indian roads. Despite security arrangements like CCTVs and speed cameras in place, commuters are often seen flouting speed limits on expressways and highways. According to a report released by the Ministry, over two-thirds of road accident victims who died in 2021 were involved in cases of overspeeding. The report stated that there were nearly three lakh road accidents that took place in 2021 due to overspeeding, in which more than 1.07 lakh people died. In 2019, around 71 per cent of the 4.49 lakh road accidents in the country were due to overspeeding.
Improving the safety of India’s roads is crucial, given the country’s high rate of road accidents. India has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world, with an average of 1,50,000 deaths and 5,00,000 injuries annually. Road accidents are also a major cause of economic loss, with the cost estimated to be around 3 per cent of the country’s GDP.
One way to reduce the number of road accidents is to improve the infrastructure, including the quality of roads, signage, and lighting. Another way is to enforce stricter traffic rules, including speed limits, and impose harsher penalties on those who violate them. In recent years, the government has taken steps to improve road safety, including the enactment of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, which introduced higher fines and stricter penalties for traffic violations.
However, there is still a long way to go in terms of improving road safety in India. The government needs to invest more in infrastructure, including the construction of new highways and the repair of existing ones. There also needs to be more awareness campaigns to educate people about road safety and the importance of following traffic rules.
