1 death every 3 days on Mumbai-Pune Expressway
A road safety report by JP Research on the 95-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway has revealed that it is witnessing a death every three days because of 37 black spots that restrict the view of drivers, steep r
A road safety report by JP Research on the 95-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway has revealed that it is witnessing a death every three days because of 37 black spots that restrict the view of drivers, steep roadside slopes, ineffective road signage and sharp road curvature, unguarded overhead bridges and pillars and vegetation that obstructs the drivers’ vision.
The deadliest reason of all is narrow shoulders or the absence of a shoulder on the side of a road. The term ‘shoulder’ refers to a section at the side of the road that is demarcated as a lane dedicated for emergency stoppage without affecting the traffic. On an average, 19 victims of fatal accidents are due to narrow shoulder.
The report further highlights, “On the expressway there are sections of road with no shoulders in the ghat section, while in other sections the shoulders are wide only on the left side of the roadway.
The expressway has continuous stretches of downhill slopes and uphill mountain walls throughout its length. Lack of adequate barriers cause vehicles go off road onto steep slopes, which increases the severity of the accident.”
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the implementing agency for the expressway, to counter this, has signed an MoU with various agencies to make the expressway a zero-fatality corridor in the next four years. The collaboration will include with the Maharashtra Highway Police, IRB Infrastructure NGO SaveLife Foundation and Mahindra Rise.
Road signage an important means to communicate with drivers and help them take decisions. However, in the expressway’s case, the placement of the signage incorrect and also difficult to understand because of small text, the report stated.
“There are many factors that have to be kept in mind. We plan to minimise accidents in the next four years by installing CCTV cameras to identify dangerous spots. Efforts to improve the infrastructure of hospitals and emergency care will be looked into,” said Radheshyam Mopalwar, managing director, MSRDC.