The Maharashtra State Transport Department has passed a mandate for taxis operating in the state to install ‘speed governors’ in a bid to restrict their top speeds to 80 kmph, claim industry sources. They draw attention to a circular sent to the Regional Transport Offices (RTO) that speaks about issuing fitness certificate to only those cabs that have been fitted with a speed governor. The cabs, if the sources are to be believed, include the regular ones, the app-based ones, tourist taxis, small tempos and pick-up vans weighing no more than 3.5-tonne. If the new mandate essentially translates into a legal requirement for prescribed class of vehicles, the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), in January this year, is known to have said that the Supreme Court, in 2002, and in 2009, ordered the fitting of speed governors to commercial vehicles that ferry people and cargo. The current circular is also said to have been linked with the amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules. Taxi and pick-up operators are not happy with the fact that they will have to shell out up to Rs.10,000 to fit the governors.