Bhopal: Car owners in the city are upset with the speed limit prescribed by authorities, which in most areas is in range of 30-40 kmh. Given speed limit the car owners are hassled with being limited to drive in second or third gears which cost them time. Not just this driving this way also costs them in terms of reduced mileage.
Regional Transport officials said that for Bhopal, speed limit is 40kmh is perfectly alright. According to them the rules are made keeping in mind the condition, locality and safety of commuters on roads and not the technology or features of cars. “It is up to car owners to drive in 2nd or 3rth or 4th. We have nothing to or against cars owner’s interest. For us safety of all vehicles is the prime concern.”
The Central government has given a green light to set 70kmph as the maximum legal speed limit for cars on roads within municipal limit in Indian cities and other roads. The revised maximum speed limit that can be legally set for roads within cities reads 70kmph for cars, 60kmph for cargo carriers and 50kmph for two-wheelers.
Roads in India are divided into various categories based on their location. Like before, the speed limit can be curbed near potentially risky areas such as key shopping zones, schools and hospitals, as the local authorities have the liberty to set a lower speed limit according to specific zones.
MANIT Professor Dr MK Pradhan, mechanical engineering department, said, “Speed limit is fixed considering the road condition and traffic and not the cars owners interest. Traffic safety is prime object before setting speed limit in the city. It is true that with the limit of 30 kms or 40kms, one can drive car in second or third gear while advance cars are equipped with facilities of 5th and even 6th gears. So the speed limit of 40kmh will have adverse impact on advance cars.”
A car mechanic Mustafa said, “There must be minimum speed of 50kmh for state capital otherwise, cars develop complications like heating, vibrations and others. Cars will not run smoothly. To use 5th and 6th gear, one will have to operate OD (Overdrive) and for it, one will have to drive cars atleast 60kmh .”
Dr Rajesh Sharma said, “It is not justified to slap fine of over-speeding at 40kmh. The advance cars have facilities up to 6th gear and if I am not using 6th gear, it will not run smoothly at 40kmh. For 6th gear, the minimum speed should be 60kmh. Cars start vibrating with under-speed in with 2nd and 3rd gears and even we do not get proper mileage. It also heats up the car engine.”
