The Madras High Court has directed the State government and transport authorities not to insist on fixing of speed governors compulsorily in educational institutions vehicles, as per a notification dated June 10, 2010.
Justice Chitra Venkataraman passed the order on a writ petition by Jayam College of Engineering and Technology, Nallanur, Dharmapuri.
The college, represented by its Director, R. Parvathi, submitted that the authorities had fixed a maximum speed limit at 50 km per hour. If the speed governor was fixed, then the travelling time between Salem and Nallanur would be two hours and 15 minutes, which would cause serious prejudice to students. The petitioner contended that fixing a uniform speed limit within the city or the highway was arbitrary.
Disposing of the petition, Ms. Justice Chitra Venkataraman said instead of quashing the notification she was holding that the State government's notification had to be read along with the notification issued by the Central government dated June 9, 1989, in which event, the question of fixing of speed governors at 50 kmph did not arise.
