Now, speed limiting devices in state-run vehicles too

Kolkata: Taking a step ahead to check road accidents, it has been decided to install speed limiting devices in commercial vehicles.

Sources said the decision has been taken to ensure that commercial vehicles ply at a limited speed on all major thoroughfares including national highways, state highways and all local roads in urban areas.

It may be mentioned that steps have also been taken to install the same in state-run vehicles that are mainly used for commercial purposes.

Fitness certificates for vehicles would not be given in case there is no speed limiting device installed in them, it was stated.

It is learnt that the speed limit on certain stretches on national highways would be not more than 80 km per hour, in state highways it would get restricted to 60 km per hour and in local urban roads vehicles have to ply at a limited speed of 40 km per hour. Stretches have been identified through a survey where vehicles have to ply following the set speed limits. Besides setting a particular speed limit, other steps including setting up of road signs, restricting plying of slow-moving vehicles on highways and measures against illegal parking are also being undertaken.

Proper signages will also be put up along the stretches of the roads to make drivers aware of the set speed limit and at the same time, necessary measures will be taken if the set norm is flouted. It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the state-wide Safe Drive Save Life campaign to check the number of road accidents and it has helped in reducing the total number of accidents. A drop in the number of deaths due to road accidents by 13.34 percent in the past one year has been witnessed in the state with the total number of road accidents has also gone down by 16.06 percent and the number of people who were injured dropped by 12.10 percent. The Supreme Court has also appreciated the measures taken by the state government to check road accidents. The Chief Minister has also directed to continue the Safe Drive Save Life campaign until February 15 as the number of road accidents goes up in the winter due to heavy fog.

According to an official, now the step to install speed limiting devices in commercial vehicles as per the Supreme Court order has been taken to further check the road accidents besides carrying out the awareness campaign. The chances of accidents will go down if the vehicles ply at a restricted speed, the official maintained adding that there will be speed monitoring devices in state government vehicles as well. It is often found that reckless driving on national and state highways claim lives. So it has been decided to restrict the speed of vehicles on certain stretches of highways as well. Moreover, it was also found that reckless driving on local roads in urban areas also leads to accidents as a section of errant drivers are prone to flout traffic norms.