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MVA 1988 (Amended 2019)ORIGINALChapter V

Section 112

Limits of Speed

Control of Traffic
Fine: ₹1,000–₹4,000Compoundable: YesEndorsement: Yes
BARE ACT PROVISION

Legal Text

No person shall drive a motor vehicle or cause or allow a motor vehicle to be driven in any public place at a speed exceeding the maximum speed or below the minimum speed fixed for the vehicle or vehicle of that class or type of road by or under this Act or by or under any other law for the time being in force or by the owner of the vehicle, whichever is the lowest.

Simplified Explanation

Section 112 is the statutory foundation for all speed limit enforcement in India. The provision sets up a hierarchy of speed limits — the lowest applicable limit governs, whether set by the MVA, by any other law, or by the vehicle owner. In practice, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) notifies speed limits under this section via the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. The notified limits (as of 2018 MoRTH circular) are: expressways — cars 120 km/h, trucks 80 km/h, buses 100 km/h; national/state highways — cars 100 km/h, trucks 80 km/h, buses 90 km/h; urban roads — all vehicles 50 km/h; municipal areas — 30 km/h (school zones, residential areas). Speed cameras, automated number-plate recognition (ANPR) systems, and interceptor vehicles enforce these limits. The 2019 Amendment added speed governors (Section 136A) for transport vehicles and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) requirements. Overspeeding of a light motor vehicle carries ₹1,000 (first offence) or ₹2,000 (subsequent) under Section 183; transport vehicles face ₹2,000 / ₹4,000.

Historical Context

Speed was identified as the single largest contributor to road fatalities in India by the National Road Safety Board analysis. India's speed limit enforcement has historically been patchy — concentrated on national highways with speed cameras while urban enforcement relied on interceptor vehicles. The push for automated enforcement under the 2019 Amendment aims to address this.

Critical Changes

Speed governor mandatory for transport vehicles under Section 136A (2019 Amendment).

Penalty doubled: LMV ₹400→₹1,000 (first), transport vehicle ₹1,000→₹2,000 — 2019 Amendment.

Electronic speed detection (radar guns, ANPR, speed cameras) evidence legally admissible.

MoRTH 2018 circular standardised national speed limits across road categories.

Practical Scenarios

"A car doing 130 km/h on NH-48 (speed limit 100 km/h) — Section 112 violation, ₹1,000 fine."
"A truck doing 100 km/h on a national highway (truck limit 80 km/h) — Section 112 violation, ₹2,000 fine."
"A car doing 70 km/h in Bengaluru city limits (limit 50 km/h) — Section 112 violation."

Common Queries

On national and state highways, the speed limit for private cars (LMV) is 100 km/h. On expressways, it is 120 km/h. In urban areas (municipal limits), the limit is 50 km/h for all vehicles. School zones and residential areas are typically 30 km/h.
Under Section 183 (as amended 2019): LMV — ₹1,000 (first offence), ₹2,000 (subsequent); transport vehicles — ₹2,000 (first), ₹4,000 (subsequent). Additionally, a driving licence endorsement is recorded.
Yes — electronic evidence from speed cameras, ANPR systems, and radar guns is admissible under the 2019 Amendment and the Information Technology Act. Speed camera challans are legally enforceable.
Yes — Section 112 also covers minimum speed limits. On some expressways, minimum speeds (e.g., 40 km/h) are notified to prevent dangerously slow vehicles obstructing traffic flow.