[Aditya]

The Maharashtra Highway Police will be procuring new cameras over the next 90 days or so to catch speeding vehicles. These cameras are a lot more advanced compared to the existing ones. They are claimed to be able to monitor 32 vehicles in two or three lanes at a time.



The new machines are called Radar Speed Machines (RSM). The authorities have started the tender process for the purchase of 155 RSMs, which are made in Bengaluru and Delhi. The machines will be installed atop the highway police vehicles. The Government of Maharashtra has sanctioned Rs. 13.95 crore for the same. The highway police will be allotted money from the Road Safety Fund.

The police believe that the RSMs will reduce the number accidents and accidental deaths, particularly in rural areas. Maharashtra recorded 20,045 accidents and 8,175 deaths on its roads in 2019. These accidents were caused due to drivers cutting lanes, over speeding and overtaking dangerously. RSMs can capture a photograph, speed and registration number of a vehicle. These can be used as evidence.

At present, the police are using laser machines to catch speeding vehicles. These machines can capture only a single vehicle at a time. Due to this, any driver who is caught argues that others have been speeding as well and not stopped.

Note: Image used for representation purpose only.

Link to Team-BHP News Article

Source

[paragsachania]

While I am not against implementation of such measures to curb the menace of overspeeding on our roads that is also one of the primary cause for accidents, I am appalled how the authorities are totally turning a blind eye regarding the rampant and ever increasing menace of wrong side driving on dual carriageway highways!!!

In Dec last year, I was pulled over at the end of Kolhapur bypass for "Document checking" which we regular motorists on this highway fondly refer to as "PUC Policing". While all my documents were in order, I simply asked the cops as to how they stop only cars while the 2 Wheeler riders, Rickshaws (passenger and goods) and Tempos merrily continue to drive on the wrong side of the highway right in front of them.

You know the answer I got? " This is something I should speak to Govt. of MH who have failed to provide service roads on either sides so locals can access both sides of the carriageway "

How easy it is to pass the buck and how inconveniently convenient it is to instead to stop cars and waste their time and pose a threat because you are forced to slow down and pull over and park haphazardly on a fast highway.

The speed guns will anyway target cars and only cars while the real cause of accidents would still be some moron with his hazards on and driving on high beams on a busy dusky evening.

Don't treat my response as a one sided rant but when certain basic elements of road safety are ignored and instead only your speeds are focused to make roads safer, it just means that you either don't know what is causing the accidents or your hands are tied or it's your hobby to purchase such gadgets and have some fun when someone hits 83 in a 80 zone .

And trust me, most of such "traps" are likely to come up at decently fast stretches where your car will glide at 100 kmph with almost no efforts.

[Jeroen]

So how will / does this work in India. Once a camera has caught a car speeding, what happens next? Does the owner get a speeding ticket send to his/her home? What if the owner wasn’t driving, but somebody else?

How do we go from speed camera to a paid speeding fine?

Here in the Netherlands this is extremely well covered. The law is such that the owner of the vehicle is always responsible. So if I let somebody drive my car, the speeding ticket is send automatically to my home address and I will need to pay!

It is one of the few cases where you are always guilty, no matter what.

Jeroen

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

So how will / does this work in India. Once a camera has caught a car speeding, what happens next? Does the owner get a speeding ticket send to his/her home? What if the owner wasn’t driving, but somebody else?

How do we go from speed camera to a paid speeding fine?

Here in the Netherlands this is extremely well covered. The law is such that the owner of the vehicle is always responsible. So if I let somebody drive my car, the speeding ticket is send automatically to my home address and I will need to pay!

It is one of the few cases were you are always guilty, no matter what.

Jeroen

I regularly travel on NH8 between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This time I got a ticket on my cellphone (an SMS with a link to pay fine in 15 days) for over speeding. It was from my journey last week from Ahmedabad to Mumbai.

Until this ticket I was not aware that Mumbai Traffic has installed speed cameras at three locations - Charoti, Manor and Chinchoti. Anyways had to cough out 1000 rupees for driving at 110 KMP/H on a highway.

[Keeleri_Achu]

Pros:

• If implemented properly, it can put a check on over-speeding and reckless driving.
• To an extent, it can prevent over enthusiastic cops from jumping in front of your cars just because you were going 5 kmph over the speed limit.
• It is one of those systems that will pay for itself and bring profit upon profit to the government, if you look from their perspective. It sure won't be a loss for the tax payer.

Cons:

• At times they can mess up the placement or speed limit. A camera ensuring ridiculously low speed limit over a stretch of road can create more problems than it can solve
• At times they could really be 'traps'. Without a clear indication of speed limit ahead, it could very well end up just as a money making machine.
• Enthusiasts who love speeding are going to hate it. Especially bikers who love touring at triple digit speeds. IIRC the max speed allowed for bikes is 70kmph on Indian roads.

Since Team-BHP is one of those forums were I can speak without the fear of being buried with the usual crop of negative comments, I'm just going to say it. I really hope these systems are implemented pan-India. Usually the response I get is, "The government should put emphasis on improving the quality of roads instead of squeezing the common man's pocket". To an extent, I do agree with those comments. But I firmly believe that over-speeding or reckless driving shouldn't be justified just by pointing out the condition of roads.

IIRC, most of the speed cameras present in Kerala came up when Mr. Rishiraj Singh IPS was head of the MV department in 2013. I have high regard for that person and the terrific job he did especially as the MVD commissioner. All those cameras paid for themselves within a couple of years of their erection. There are two cameras within a KM of my home on the two lane state highway. Both those spots were highly accident prone as one leads to a sharp incline and the other to a blind curve after a straight section. Flashing lights were a common sight after their erection but in time, there was a significant reduction in accidents at those spots. Today, almost all vehicles stick to the limits. Even limited stop buses which are notorious for their reckless antics.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Once a camera has caught a car speeding, what happens next? Does the owner get a speeding ticket send to his/her home? What if the owner wasn’t driving, but somebody else?

Owner gets the ticket. It is usually mailed to the RC address within a couple of weeks. Earlier on, out of state vehicles could get away with speeding as their addresses were not stored on a centralized database. With the implementation of the nation wide 'Parivahan' system, even that loophole has now been closed.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

How do we go from speed camera to a paid speeding fine?

Not sure about other states, but here in Maharashtra, if your phone number is registered anytime when you do a transaction related to your car (be it at the RTO, taking insurance, paying road tax, etc.) you will automatically get an SMS with link to pay the fine.

If your number is not there in the system, your car will still get the fine, but you might have to search for it on the portal. Again, once you enter your phone number, you will get future fines via SMS.

Local cops also have an app which will show pending fines against your car. So the next time you are flagged down, you will be asked to clear pending ones. It will also not be possible to transfer your vehicle before clearing the pending fines.

[karan561]

How about the MH Government invest in a Road Building Machine/Equipment which can fix 32 Potholes at once.

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by karan561

How about the MH Government invest in a Road Building Machine/Equipment which can fix 32 Potholes at once.

Could not agree more with you, the case is same in Delhi. People are getting fines for jumping traffic lights when the lights are not even working. Speed limit is 50 inside city even when the road is a proper 6 lane, when would the limits be revised?

They have the money to invest in speed cameras and traffic cameras but the pathetic and dilapidated condition of roads are not visible to them. They would easily claim lack of funds due covid for not repairing the potholes but have the money to install cameras on downhill sections where a challan is generated for vehicles doing 52 in a 50 zone.
I am not even talking of potholes , entire layer of roads are missing since they have not been relaid for years now.

[Aish_4761]

Yeah, as if there are enough smooth roads in Maha to overspeed. That's simply a waste of Taxpayer's money since they already use a 3-D device for speed control better referred to as a POTHOLE...!!

[akash_v12]

Although I gladly accept the new rule that the MH Government is implementing, there is a bit of a problem with the system itself.

Yes, it will surely reduce the menace that the expressway sometimes becomes but the problem here is that in expressways the speed limit should be a minimum of 120KM/H specially considering the fact that it is completely closed with no sudden U-Turn, no entrance to motorcyclists and tractors and 3 wheelers. Even with full load, all cars can comfortably drive at around a 100KM/H easily considering the long straights and smooth roads (only on the E-Way). Speeds at ghat sections should be reduced to 80KM/H and proper lane maintainance should be followed. Only with this, the RSM systems can be properly implemented. Also, I have a doubt in the accuracy of the system. If it will capture 32 cars at once, how can it be sure that one car is speeding while the other one following close behind is not? Could someone please clear this for me?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

You know the answer I got? " This is something I should speak to Govt. of MH who have failed to provide service roads on either sides so locals can access both sides of the carriageway "

I completely agree with what BHPian ParagSachania said. Once, my mom was driving to the grocery store closeby. At this time, she was on her learner's license and my dad was sitting next to her. She was stopped because of document checking (AS Regn.). Now, my mom had taken off her seatbelt when she stopped since she was not adjusted to the seatbelt of the Spark. The officer then came up and asked why she had not worn her seatbelt and when she & my dad tried to respond by giving the above reason but he had no luck. We were fined Rs.200. When asked why they don't catch the bikers who wear no helmet, the response received was "It is an order from the government."

[pkulkarni.2106]

That's savage

Originally Posted by karan561

How about the MH Government invest in a Road Building Machine/Equipment which can fix 32 Potholes at once.

But yeah, I too honestly feel there's more to these accidents than just the car speed.

While traveling on Pune-Aurangabad highway, I see many potholes. When cruising at 80 KMPH, it's a dilemma - shall I change the lane or slow down?
There's trouble both ways - if I change lane, I may end up brushing some other vehicle; if I slow down, I may get rear-ended.

[landcruiser123]

Curios, how is this going to work when drivers don't follow lane discipline? I assume the cameras focus on particular lanes?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Don't treat my response as a one sided rant but when certain basic elements of road safety are ignored and instead only your speeds are focused to make roads safer, it just means that you either don't know what is causing the accidents or your hands are tied or it's your hobby to purchase such gadgets and have some fun when someone hits 83 in a 80 zone .

All this money could be used to fund driver education programs to tackle the basic problems which you've listed.

[DicKy]

Can't help but go on rant mode when it comes to speed cams.

Not the limits themselves, 120km/h is generous enough for our traffic conditions, and in Kerala, the highest being 90km/h is generous enough.

But my problem is-

Implementation - Proper implementation of stuff in our country is a hard thing to do. Same applies to speed cams. Elsewhere you would know what the set speed limit is for a stretch, and even if there is a change you are let known by way of signage. Heck, you are even made aware of speed cams well in advance.

Here you never know when you are entering a panchayat or small municipality, where speed limits are of the 1988 era. Especially with the density in Kerala, you can't tell if you just entered or exited a corporation or municipality or a panchayat.

Over zealousness - Put up a speed cam. A job well done. Pat on their own shoulders and go back. Any accident, label them as overspeeding and rash driving.
Lane manners, overloading, poorly maintained vehicles, poorly designed infra, hi veams at night, everything from bipeds to 18 wheelers sharing the same piece of tarmac. Wot? Chalta he yaar.... But speed traps are a must.

Originally Posted by Keeleri_Achu

.

IIRC, most of the speed cameras present in Kerala came up when Mr. Rishiraj Singh IPS was head of the MV department in 2013. I have high regard for that person and the terrific job he did especially as the MVD commissioner. All those cameras paid for themselves within a couple of years of their erection

Respect him. He also did another thing worth mentioning. Enforcing lane manners in the lone 4 lane highway at that time, Cherthala-Edapally stretch with a cane stick in local parlance

But fast forward. The cameras keep bringing in the moolah, while even the MVD has lost the concept of lane manners.

Especially in these hard times, while the government may cry lack of funds for anything else, the revenue generating speed traps will keep popping up.

[whitecloud]

This system of installation of cameras is very good as one is able to download the picture of the proof of offence by driver of the vehicle .But, the major issue is that as per the latest amendments in the motor vehicles act ,the license of the offender is compulsarily suspended by the Licensing Authority for 3 months even in case of first offence. The owner of the vehicle receives the challan /Ticket via sms and he/she is required to submit the license of the driver of vehicle to Traffic police .This license is then sent to the RTO who from where the license had been issued and thereafter the license holder/driver is called for hearing and then after giving him/her an opportunity to explain himself/herself ,the license is suspended for 3 months atleast .
This system is being very strictly implemented in Chandigarh .However ,there are cases where the picture is of some other vehicle which has been sent as a proof of offence .Lots of ambiguities but suspension of license for 3 momths at first offence is kind of very harsh.

[Sounak04]

Originally Posted by karan561

How about the MH Government invest in a Road Building Machine/Equipment which can fix 32 Potholes at once.

I completely agree to this.

A few days back i was travelling to pune from Mumbai via the expressway and there were so many potholes near Khandala. They have increased the Toll rates and have imposed a fine for covering the distance between both the Tolls in less than 37 mins, but when it comes to improving the roads it seems like they do not care.

I stay in Kharghar. Vashi is roughly 10-15 kms from my place. The amount of potholes that develop every year during the rainy seasons is just unacceptable. God knows how do they repair the potholes.

As rightly said above, MH Govt. should rather focus and spend their resources on improving the road conditions. Those potholes lead to more accidents rather than over-speeding.