The Hindu : Speed norm for heavy vehicles flawed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 25, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Speed norm for heavy vehicles flawed

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI, JAN. 24 .The maximum permissible limit for heavy vehicles, including trucks and buses, in Delhi is just 40 km per hour and the Delhi traffic police love it since it provides them an opportunity to fine offenders easily. However, the logic behind this speed limit now appears flawed in the wake of a study which indicates that emissions increase dramatically when the speed of vehicles is less.

According to the study conducted by a London-based firm, in heavy vehicles, such as buses, the increase in speed actually decreased the emission per kilometre. The study noted that while the emission of carbon monoxide (CO) is 22.60 grams at 10 kmph, it decreased rapidly to 14.40 gram per km at 25 kmph and further to 8.20 gram per km at 50 km per hour.

Similarly, the study by E.A. Vasconcellos 2002, Urban Transport, Environment and Equity - the Case for Developing Countries, Earthscam Publications Limited, London- noted that in case of hydro carbons (HC) the emission levels drops from 5.70 gram per km at 10 kmph to absolute zero as the vehicle speed increased to 50 km per hour.

And likewise, the emission of nitrogen oxide (NOX) decreases by almost 50 per cent from 22.30 gram per km at 10 kmph to 11.90 gram per km at 50 kmph.

These figures, which have been quoted by the Centre of Science of Environment, in a release issued here today indicate that the approach towards speed limits of vehicles in India needs a fresh look, especially if the Government wants to cut down on real violation. A senior Delhi Traffic Police officer concurred that the speed limit of vehicles in Delhi also needs to be enhanced by at least 10 km per hour. However, he conceded, that this would probably render the speed radar guns less effective and would ultimately result in lesser collection of challans. But pragmatically speaking, he asserted that it was essential that the speed limit of buses and trucks be at least increased to 50 km per hour.

This speed limit for heavy vehicles is also deemed reasonable by officials of the Delhi Transport Corporation who feel the 40 kmph limit actually compels drivers to break the rules and result in tampering of speed governors. "How do you expect the buses to crawl at just 40 km per hour even on clear stretches of roads and then keep to their time-table?'' asked an official.

Incidentally, the rule pertaining to the 40 kmph speed limit has made Delhi's public transport corporation squirm. Its officials insist that not only does this limit lead to more pollution, it is also unpractical as adhering to it would mean delay in travel for commuters, more travelling and idling time for vehicles, and consequently more exhaustion of drivers.

It is little wonder therefore that not only do drivers of private vehicles flout this speed limit, even DTC drivers normally tend to drive buses at higher speeds; a fact which is there to be seen on the records of the 200 buses of the Corporation which ply on the Mudrika route under the Automatic Vehicle Tracking System, which maintains an actual record of their speed and travel along the circular route.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi