Your Ola, Uber ride to get slower as Delhi makes speed governors a must

Delhi govt to limit maximum speed of cabs to 80 kmph; taxi unions threaten to go on strike

Hate Delhi traffic? Wish your Uber or Ola ride was shorter? Well that will be difficult as the Delhi government has decided to limit the maximum speed of taxis and cabs to 80 kmph in the national capital. 

However, according to reports, taxi unions are not amused by the decision. Drivers are primarily worried about the cost of the device. 

According to reports, the transport department of the Delhi government has made mandatory the installation of speed governors in all taxis and cabs operating in the national capital. 

The decision comes after a recent notification of the Union road transport ministry, which made installation of speed governors in commercial vehicles compulsory.

Taxi drivers complain over cost 

According to reports, taxi unions are opposing the government's decision and have said that they would go on a strike if the decision is not set aside.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union, said that the cost of such a device would be too much to bare for a taxi driver. Therefore, he reasoned, the Centre should withdraw its notification.

“A speed governor is installed at a cost of around Rs 10,000. If the decision is not withdrawn, taxi drivers will launch a serious of protest against the Delhi government and Centre,” Soni said.

The rationale behind the move

Passenger safety and reducing the number of road accidents appear to be the major motivations behind the decision.

According to a Delhi Traffic Police data, 1,622 and 1,671 people were killed in 2015 and 2014, respectively, in road accidents in the city, while over 16,000 people were left injured in the two years.