Gadkari Suggests Raising Speed Limit on Expressways to 120 kmph

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has reportedly instructed officials not to issue speeding challans to motorists travelling at speeds of up to 120 kmph on expressways. He has also suggested allowing an additional 20% margin beyond this threshold before imposing penalties, raising questions about whether vehicles could travel at 144 kmph without receiving a challan.

Speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event on the future of India's highways, Gadkari said he had directed officials to stop sending speeding notices for vehicles travelling within the specified threshold.

"Some people are receiving notices on the road due to speed. I have instructed that no notices should be sent for speeds up to 120 kmph. And even above 120, if someone exceeds it by 20%, let them go. If someone goes beyond this, issue a challan," he said.

Does the 20% Leeway Allow Driving at 144 kmph?

If the proposed 20% margin is applied to an expressway with a prescribed speed limit of 120 kmph, the additional allowance would take the enforcement threshold to 144 kmph.

However, this does not mean the government has formally increased the legal speed limit to 144 kmph. The minister's remarks concern the issuance of speeding challans and should not be treated as an official revision of existing speed regulations.

Speed limits also vary depending on the road and vehicle category. Motorists travelling on roads with lower prescribed limits cannot assume that the 120 kmph threshold applies to them.

The extent to which Gadkari's instructions will be implemented across automated speed cameras and electronic challan systems also remains unclear. Until the enforcement rules are formally clarified, motorists should continue to follow the speed limits displayed on road signs.

Gadkari Pushes AI-Based Highway Monitoring

At the CII event, Gadkari also called on the industry to support the rollout of an AI-based Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to strengthen highway monitoring and improve traffic enforcement.

The proposed system is expected to help authorities monitor violations, including improper lane discipline, as India continues to expand its expressway network.

While Gadkari's remarks indicate a possible relaxation in speeding enforcement on expressways, the implementation of the proposed 20% margin and its application across different roads remain to be clarified.