NEW DELHI: Haryana government has put speed restrictions of 80 kmph for cars and 60 kmph for trucks on the 83-km stretch of expressway between Manesar and Kundli, which was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Monday. The restrictions will continue for "one month or so" for commuters to get accustomed with the new road, which has no median openings for drivers to take a U-turn.The Centre has notified 120 kmph as the maximum speed limit for cars and 100 kmph for trucks on expressways where entry and exit points are limited and both sides of the road have crash barriers. Haryana government officials claimed the highway builder has replaced the speed indicators to keep people informed about the temporary restriction.While issuing the provisional completion certificate allowing traffic on this portion of the expressway, independent consultant (IC) LN Malviya Infra Projects had said, "The traffic on the expressway should be allowed at restricted speed of 80 kmph for cars, 60 kmph for trucks and 30 kmph at ramps." This was based on the recommendation by a third-party safety auditor. The auditor had said the expressway being a greenfield one, it's essential that the road user become accustomed to the entry/exit points at interchanges. It also recommended sufficient traffic marshals be deployed at entry/exit points and to put information signage at regular intervals to guide commuters.The report of provisional completion certificate to allow traffic resulted in a fierce slugfest between Congress and BJP soon after the stretch was opened. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, in a series of tweets, said: "PM Modi and CM Khattar are endangering the lives of thousands of commuters by illegally and forcibly inaugurating an incomplete KMP expressway. No testing of KMP by engineers , illegally called as partial COD (commercial operation day). Third-party consultant has refused to give 'completion certificate'. Even HSIIDC refused to own responsibility of any mishap. Are you risking commuter lives only for quick publicity in the middle of elections and to benefit the private operator by Rs 26 crore a month?"Responding to this charge, Haryana industries minister Vipul Goel said left to Congress, KMP wouldn't have opened for yet another decade. "The allegation of KMP being unsafe for commuters are irresponsible & ridiculous. The third-party safety auditor, in their report dated 14-11-2018, found 'the project road to be safe and reliable'. Further after a review of this report, the IC had also on 17-11-2018 recommended that the expressway can be opened to traffic," said an official statement quoting Goel.

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