Nearly nine months after the Delhi traffic police accepted there was a technical fault in the setting of speed detection cameras on the Meerut Expressway (National Highway-24) and announced the reversal of around 1.50 lakh wrongly issued fines, the department is yet to repay at least Rs 8-10 crore that was collected from commuters.
While police moved a proposal to work on giving back the fines in October after the issue was brought to their kind notice, senior traffic police and transport department officials confirmed that they could not find any provision under the Motor Vehicles Act through which the money collected as fines could be returned.
Last year between August and October, the Delhi traffic police wrongly fined at least 1.50 lakh commuters on the Meerut Expressway, between Millennium Park and Ghazipur, for speeding above 60kmph even though the speed limit signage on the stretch indicated a limit of 70kmph.
After several commuters who were issued fines raised the issue with the Delhi traffic police and threatened to move court , the department conceded its error and agreed to reverse the fines, saying that the speed limit boards were incorrectly placed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The 1.50 lakh commuters include only those who drove or rode between 61-70 kmph but were fined because of the camera’s incorrect speed calibration.
Delhi traffic police chief Taj Hassan did not respond to multiple calls and messages seeking comment.
