Huge Fines Being Charged on Delhi NCR Routes
Recently, drivers in the Delhi NCR region have faced hefty fines for speeding on national highways. A report from the NHAI’s control room in Ghaziabad reveals that over 33,000 vehicles have been caught on CCTV exceeding speed limits. These drivers have collectively been fined around Rs 7.5 crore, with most fines already collected. Unfortunately, more than 20 people have lost their lives in over 12 major accidents this year due to high-speed driving on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) and Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE).
Additionally, 3,391 vehicles were fined for driving in the wrong direction and not adhering to traffic rules, while 454 vehicles received fines for illegal parking. In total, fines amounting to Rs 8.20 crore have been imposed on 41,290 vehicles, with only 193 fines pending, totaling Rs 3.81 lakhs.
Monitoring of these vehicles is conducted from a control room near Dasna. NHAI Project Director Arvind Kumar emphasizes that adhering to speed limits can lead to safer journeys, requiring drivers to be alert and cautious.
Description of Three Major Accidents
1. On July 11, 2023, a school bus traveling in the wrong direction on the DME collided with a car, resulting in six fatalities. The bus had been speeding in the opposite lane for several kilometers.
2. On June 15, 2024, a truck collided with a canter on the EPE, killing four people and injuring over 15, all of whom were brick kiln workers traveling from Haryana to Hardoi. Both vehicles were speeding at the time of the accident.
3. On March 31, 2024, a dumper struck school children near ABES College on the DME, leading to the deaths of the driver and two children, with nine others injured. Again, high speeds were a factor in this tragic incident.
One Year Report of DME
– Daily, over two lakh vehicles traverse the DME and EPE.
– Each vehicle is monitored through CCTV from the control room.
– Digital display boards are installed to encourage drivers to adhere to speed limits.
– Currently, light vehicles are allowed to travel at 120 km/h on EPE, while DME has limits of 100 km/h for light vehicles and 75 km/h for heavy vehicles.
Speed Limit Violations on Yamuna Expressway
In the past month, more than 4,000 vehicles have been fined for exceeding the maximum speed limit on the Yamuna Expressway, resulting in fines over Rs 86 lakhs. The speed limit on the expressway had been temporarily reduced to 75 km/h due to winter fog conditions, but it will return to 100 km/h for light vehicles starting February 15, as visibility issues have cleared.
Yamuna Expressway manager JK Sharma states that this change is necessary for safe travel, as drivers must adhere to the speed limits to avoid future accidents.
