New fleet to rein in speeding vehicles

November 23, 2014 08:23 am | Updated 08:23 am IST - NEW DELHI:

After stunt bikers and drunken drivers, the Delhi Traffic Police will now attempt to rein in speed demons taking to the Capital’s streets after dark.

Eleven new Interceptor vehicles, armed with infrared laser speed guns, night vision cameras and CCTVs, have been procured by the law enforcement agency for the purpose and will be deployed at a strategic location near you by early December.

The fleet – white Toyota Innova vehicles bearing the characteristic Delhi Police shades of red, white and blue – will enhance the traffic police’s duty timings beyond current working hours, improve visibility and bring the enforcement of traffic rules on the Capital’s streets closer to the graveyard shift of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. during which a majority of fatal road accidents take place.

“Over-speeding is a major concern for our unit as collisions can possibly result in the deaths of two-wheeler drivers and pedestrians after traffic thins on the Capital’s streets post dusk,” said Muktesh Chander, Special Commissioner of Police (traffic).

“These new vehicles are expected to go a long way in identifying and repeatedly prosecuting over-speeding drivers which, in time, will lead to a culture of more responsible driving and culminate in the prevention of potentially fatal road accidents in Delhi,” Mr. Chander said.

He added that these Interceptors would also help his unit in checking the speed of commercial vehicles without hassling other four-wheeler drivers to slow down at check points meant to introduce a break in their speeds at major transit points.

Each Interceptor will be equipped with an infrared, night vision-enabled laser gun capable of gauging the speed of oncoming vehicles irrespective of lighting conditions. This will be connected to an in-built number plate reader which will automatically record a speed violator’s vehicular registration number.

When a vehicle above the designated speed on a particular stretch is identified, the equipment will work in tandem to record the violation with the former clicking a picture and the latter recording its details in a soft copy format. These details will then be printed on a single sheet, attached to a fine under Section 112/183 of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act and despatched to the residence of the owner of the vehicle found committing the violation.

Over-speeding attracts a fine of Rs.1,000. Speed limits in Delhi range from 50 to 70 km per hour depending on the location.

The traffic police are currently in the process of drawing out a plan of deployment for these Interceptors which would maximise their potential of curbing speeding on arterial routes, especially in areas where popular eateries, pubs and malls are located.

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