In a strict warning to rash call centre cab drivers, the Delhi High Court made it clear on Thursday that they should stick to a maximum speed of 40 kmph on city roads or face the music.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S Muralidhar directed them to comply with the speed limit notification issued by Delhi police in October 1997.
The Court dismissed a petition filed by All Haryana Tourists Transport Welfare Association, a bulk of whose
members are attached to Gurgaon call centres, seeking quashing of a circular issued by the Delhi Police (Traffic) asking them to fix the speed limit for their cabs at 40 kmph.
"It is seen that the call centre cabs are indeed involved in a large number of traffic violations. Therefore, itcannot be said that fixing of maximum speed limit for call centre cabs by the notification is unreasonable," the Bench observed and referred to a report submitted by the police citing 4,726 accidents that took place in 2007 due to the traffic violation by call centre cab drivers.
To prevent the cab drivers from violating traffic rules, the High Court in October 2007 passed an order directing the
Delhi police to strictly comply with the 1997 notification against the cab drivers.
While hearing a matter pertaining to Blueline bus accidents, the High Court had directed police to ensure that all call centre cabs follow the speed of 40kmph, adding that they should impound the vehicles in case of violation of the fixed limit.
Pursuant to court's direction, the city police issued an advertisement in October 2007 in this regard. Challenging the notification of traffic police, the call centre cab drivers association approached this court stating that the police move was "arbitrary".
The notification was neither in accordance with Delhi Police Act nor published in the official gazette, submitted by
the transporters' counsel.
Further submitting before the court, the counsel added that as per the Motor Vehicle Act, the maximum speed limit is fixed to 65 kmph. However, the Division Bench rejected the submissions and dismissed the petition.
