‘Slower is safer’? A horse cart plys on the NH-29 connecting Dimapur with Chümoukedima. CP Dimapur on March 25 informed that vehicular speed would be restricted to 50km/hr along the stretch from April 1-30 for ‘public safety.’ A similar direction was given in January 2021 to mixed response. (Morung File Photo: for Representational Purposes only)
• 30 km/hr within Dimapur city area
• 50 km/hr from Zion hospital junction to Chümoukedima
• Increasing traffic accidents cited for imposing limit
Dimapur, March 25 (MExN): Citing increasing traffic accidents, the Commissioner of Police Dimapur on March 25, in the interest of public safety and convenience, announced the imposition of speed limit on National Highway-29 up to Chümoukedima as well as within the Dimapur city area.
The speed limit would be enforced for a period of one month from April 1-30, stated an order issued by the CP Dimapur Rothihu Tetso on Friday.
There is sufficient ground to restrict the speed of the motor vehicles in view of increasing number of road traffic accidents due to over speeding, it stated.
As per the order, the speed limit has been fixed by the CP in the in exercise of the powers conferred U/S 112 (2) of the MV Act, as amended by the Motor Vehicles (MV) sAct 2019.
Accordingly, the speed limit for Zion hospital junction to Chümoukedima was fixed at 50 kilometre per hour (km/hr) while it is 30Km/hr within Dimapur city area.
Penalties for excessive speed
Driving in excessive speed is punishable under section 183 of the MV Act, the order further stated.
As per the section, the penalties for the first offence include fine not “less than one thousand rupees but may extend to two thousand rupees” for light motor vehicle and “fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees, but may extend to four thousand rupees” for medium goods vehicle or a medium passenger vehicle or a heavy goods vehicle or a heavy passenger vehicle.
For the second or any subsequent offence, the driving licence would be impounded as per the provisions of the sub-section (4) of section 206 of the MV Act.
In January 2021, CP Dimapur experimented with the implementation of a speed limit of 40km/hr within Dimapur city and up to Chümoukedima provoking a mixed reaction among citizens.
The measure from January 5 to February 3, 2021 was implemented “keeping highway location and public safety in mind,” the Dimapur Police PRO, then told The Morung Express.
