JOIN USPress on the gas, go to jail
People who are in the habit of pressing on the gas could now well land up in jail. Starting Monday, special challan from court – which mandates a fine of Rs 1,000 or imprisonment up to six months or both for the first offence – would be issued to motorists speeding beyond a limit. Till now, the fine was Rs 400.
“If the speed limit on a particular stretch is 60 km per hour, a motorist would be fined the usual amount for speeding up to 80 km per hour.
“But driving beyond 80 km per hour would be considered ‘dangerous driving’ and a special challan would be issued through court,” said Satyendra Garg, joint CP (traffic). The category of ‘dangerous driving’ would be determined as per the speed limit on a particular stretch, he added.
In order to keep a check on speeding, 10 mobile ‘interceptors’ would be placed at different locations to book violators.
“While challans would be served on car owners with vehicles bearing Delhi registration number through post or courier, those having other registration numbers would be booked on spot,” Garg said.
DIMTS’ ‘speed cameras’
After a successful trial of high-speed cameras, the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Systems (DIMTS) would soon submit a proposal before Delhi Police for procurement of special ‘speed cameras’.
The cameras are to be installed at different locations of several roads across the city to check speeding round the clock.
“The performance of these cameras was found to be satisfactory during the trial. Over 600 challans were generated within four hours.
“DIMTS would submit a proposal for 100 cameras which would be placed at 10 different locations to start with. Later, the numbers would be increased,” said Garg.
These cameras are likely to be functional by the end of April, he added. To begin with, the speed cameras would be placed on NH-24, NH-8, NH-10, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Nelson Mandela Marg, Ring Road and Airport Road. These cameras are attached to a central server, which would have details of registered cars.
“The cameras are equipped to record speed, and capture the image of the number plate and photograph the driver. A challan would be generated automatically, which would be served on the car owner,” Garg explained. The cameras could capture images even during the night, which would help the traffic police in monitoring speed round the clock.