BY ANU(ChandigarhCityNews)
“Fitting quality & approved speed governing devices is a must.” said Kamal Soi, Member – National Road Safety Council, Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, Govt of India
“It is noteworthy that as per the National Crime Records Bureau report for the year 2015, in the State of Punjab 6702 road accidents took place with 4414 injuries and 4893 deaths in the year 2015. The figure in the year 2014 was 6391 crashes, 4127 injured & 4621 deaths, which clearly shows a rapid increase in severities & deaths in the state.” Alarmed Soi
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India, vide Notification G.S.R.290 ( E) dated 15th April, 2015, amendment in CMVR Rule No. 118 made fitment of Speed Governors (conforming to AIS 018 & AIS 037 specification) in various categories of Transport Vehicles mandatory on or before January 31, 2017.
“The main reason behind non-implementation of the speed governor regime in the state of Punjab is laxities by the then state government in Punjab due to their major stake in the transport sector of Punjab. Their intent of escapism from getting the speed governors fitted in approximately 70 to 80 per cent of the speed governor eligible fleet in Punjab didn’t let the scheme come into effect in the state of Punjab.” Said Soi
Guidelines in this regards are also issued by MoRTH dated 16th June, 2016 which recommended that the SLDs should conform to Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requirements as Per AIS-004 (Part 3)/ 1999 as amended from time to time and that Type approval and Serial number of the Speed Limiting device be integrated with the VAHAN database for quick Audit and retrieval of records through a comprehensive Management Information System (MIS). However still the Punjab Transport Department is not willing to follow the mandatory Notification/ Guidelines issued by the MoRTH which indeed are beneficiary towards road safety.
Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam & Kerala have already started implementation of SLD scheme in their states & only the vehicles fitted with SLD are being issued/granted fitness.
Soi have been actively working since 2006 to focus on the concerns relating to road safety. In this regard, on 18th December 2015, he had addressed a press conference in Chandigarh to suggest process and measures which, if implemented would have surely ensured precautionary measures resulting in minimizing/controlling of Road accidents and resultant deaths to a reasonable extent if the Speed Governors which are mandated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court & Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India.
