Drivers ferrying C'Wealth Games athletes cannot violate speed limit

Drivers ferrying Commonwealth Games athletes and officials cannot violate speed limit on the lanes earmarked for the sporting extravaganza. 

Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (traffic), told reporters that some incidents of violation of speed limit on Games lanes have come to light and an accident has been reported.

"Vehicles on Games lanes have to ply according to the speed limit on city roads. Some cases of violation have come to light. One or two accidents have also taken place. We have registered cases," Chadha said.

His comments came to a question whether speed limit for vehicles applied for Games related traffic also. He was
speaking on the sidelines of a function inducting around 700 volunteers for traffic regulation during the Games.

In an accident on the Commonwealth Games lane on Sardar Patel Marg this morning, a pedestrian suffered minor injuries when a Games car hit him while returning from the airport. A case has been registered.

He also said that people could face arrest for straying into Games lanes and a notification under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code has been promulgated. 

"Plying on Games lanes are prohibited. Even if someone park their vehicle on a road which has a Games lane, they will face arrest as they will be blocking traffic," Chadha said. 

Speaking at the function, he said around 1,500 volunteers, including 600 from Nirankari Mandal, will help Traffic Police in regulating traffic from October one till the Games end.

"We were quite apprehensive about the Games. Time was short. Police alone will not be able to tackle the traffic issues. We issued an appeal through to social networking sites like Facebook seeking volunteers. We got a tremendous response," Chadha said. 

"If this system of using volunteers are successful, we could think of extending it after the Games also," he said. 

He noted that the concentration of traffic personnel were in New Delhi and Central Delhi and now they want to concentrate on interior parts of the city. 

If the volunteer scheme is extended, he said, it can be helpful for the police. 

Chadha also said that the city traffic police intends to improve the driving habits of people. "Everybody wants a change but nobody is ready to contribute," he said.

He said the volunteers for the Games will not be paid any honorarium but will be given a certificate of participation.