Gujarat to develop scientific speed management policy

Ahmedabad, July 30 Gujarat is set to develop a comprehensive Speed Management Policy, drawing on technical expertise from IIT Kharagpur, the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), and the Road Safety Network (RSN).

The announcement was made during a high-level Speed Meeting on Speed Management Guidelines hosted by CEE Ahmedabad, which brought together key stakeholders from government, enforcement, academia, and civil society.

Addressing the gathering, Satish Patel, Commissioner of the Gujarat Road Safety Authority (GujROSA), emphasised that speeding contributes to over 65 per cent of road crash deaths in Gujarat, as per the MoRTH Road Accidents in India Report 2022.

“A policy shift backed by data, inter-agency coordination, and scientific methods is critical. We are committed to developing a Gujarat-specific strategy with the support of partners like IIT Kharagpur and CEE,” he said.

The session featured a presentation by Prof. Bhargab Maitra from IIT Kharagpur, who showcased speed management guidelines successfully implemented in West Bengal.

He noted that Gujarat can localise similar strategies to suit its diverse road infrastructure and enforcement capacities.

“State-specific zoning and data-driven approaches can transform road safety. Gujarat has the potential to lead this shift,” Maitra stated.

Inspector General of Police (Traffic), M.L. Ninama, acknowledged the urgency, stating, “Speeding is one of the deadliest contributors to crashes. This initiative helps move from reactive enforcement to proactive, scientific management.”

Former IAS officer and CEE Director Kartikeya Sarabhai stressed the importance of citizen participation.

“Through initiatives like AmdaVamdA, we’re involving the public in safety through education and awareness. Road safety is an essential part of sustainable urban mobility,” he said.

The meeting also included insights from The Urban Lab Foundation (TULF), which presented data on infrastructure gaps, crash-prone zones, and signage inconsistencies across Gujarat.

Representatives from the Roads & Buildings Department, Urban Development, NHAI, Health, Education, and Police contributed to a robust discussion on collaborative enforcement and public engagement strategies.

With 17,419 road deaths reported in Gujarat in 2022 and a 14.9 per cent year-on-year increase in crashes, the state’s urgency in implementing evidence-based speed control measures aligns with its goal to halve road fatalities by 2030, in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.

--IANS

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