Union Minister Gadkari: Even my vehicle was fined Twice

In the last decade, the number of highways and expressways in India has increased. With this, the speed of vehicles has also gone up, and as a result, we have started seeing a rise in the number of accidents on the roads. In order to keep a check on traffic violations and accidents, the authorities have installed surveillance cameras on almost all major roads and highways. Some of them are AI-powered cameras that detect offences and issue a challan almost immediately.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said at a summit that even he was not spared by the cameras and had to pay a fine twice for speeding.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was attending the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 when he spoke about the speed cameras. He said, “I made the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. I have a car in Mumbai. I got a challan for it twice. Nobody can escape. The camera catches everything. I had to pay Rs 500. People often complain about fines, but they should just not violate rules. Fines are not for revenue generation.”

The speed cameras or surveillance cameras are installed on the roads for the safety of the users. By installing the cameras, authorities ensure that road users are adhering to traffic rules and not violating them.

Public roads are for everyone, and it should be ensured that you follow the rules while on the road. For example, if you drive on a highway at high speed, well above the speed limit, the chances of you losing control over the vehicle and crashing into an obstacle or another vehicle are pretty high.

This way, you are not just putting your own life, but the lives of many other innocent road users at risk. Many people who drive fast on Indian roads are not trained to handle the situation in case they lose control.

It should also be noted that in India, it is quite common to find an obstacle on the road. It could be a pothole, stray cattle, a dog, or even a biker in the fast or overtaking lane. Apart from these, we have also seen several instances of wrong-side driving on highways and expressways in India.

All these factors make driving in India a risky task. It is because of these reasons that we feel everyone should install a dash camera as well as adhere to speed limits. Many in India don’t have a basic sense of driving and are impatient. This often leads to accidents and road rage incidents too.

During the summit, Nitin Gadkari was also asked about toll rates and whether our roads could ever become toll-free. To this, the minister replied by saying that they are currently looking at a new policy that is expected to ease the burden on toll payers.

He added that the new policy being prepared will be announced in the next 8–10 days. He didn’t give any details about the policy but said, “The toll amount will come down by 100%. That’s all I can say for now.”