Increasing India’s national highway speed limit has the potential to shorten travel time by a noticeable margin.
Soon, India’s national highway speed limit could be increased by 20 km/hr as Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Nitin Gadkari wants to raise the speed at which vehicles travel on expressways.
Recently, the minister held a meeting with the officials of the Road Transport Ministry and reviewed speed limits enforced on India’s highways.
In a tweet, Gadkari said, “Reviewed speed limits of vehicles on Roads and National Highways with reference of design speed and provisions in Motor Vehicle Act in the presence of officials of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.”
Reviewed speed limits of vehicles on Roads and National Highways with reference of design speed and provisions in Motor Vehicle Act in the presence of officials of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. pic.twitter.com/wyNjTB0yb9
— Nitin Gadkari (मोदी का परिवार) (@nitin_gadkari) July 13, 2021
As things stand, the maximum speed limit for vehicles falling under the M1 category on national highways is 100 km/hr (4-lane roads with a median) and on expressways is 120 km/hr.
The Union Minister has also directed officials to ensure that uniform speed limits are being enforced on specific stretches and disallow frequent changes to the speed limits. This applies to even short distances.
While the Union Ministry notifies speed limits, State police and other agencies can change the advised speed limit on roads under their jurisdiction.
These differing speed limits (from State to State) and ominous signs that display the allowed speed limit have compounded India’s road safety problem.