Expressway speed limit may go up

The maximum speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour (kmph) on the 95-kilometre-long Mumbai-Pune Expressway could be increased to 100-110 kmph since hardly any vehicles follow the currently set speed limit, thus making enforcement a problem.

The Maharashtra State Road Corporation (MSRDC) will conduct a scientific speed management test to determine the average speed limit of every Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) and Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) that plies on the Expressway.

A MSRDC official said, “We will conduct the scientific speed limit test with SaveLife Foundation to primarily understand that what speed different vehicles drive in. It is a known fact that no one follows the speed limit of 80 kilometres. So we plan to ascertain the speed limit that people usually drive in and set that as the upper limit, to reduce chances of over-speeding.”

The move, according to MSRDC, is a part of the MoU with SaveLife Foundation, an NGO dedicated for improving road safety and emergency care across India. The Expressway witnesses one death every three days because of the 37 black spots, have steep roadside slopes, ineffective road signage and sharp road curvature, unguarded overhead bridges and pillars and vegetation that obstructs the view of drivers.

Saji Cherian, associate director, Savelife Foundation, makes the distinction between speeding and over-speeding and points out that most accidents happen on the Expressway because of overspeeding and in the ghats section. “It has nothing to do with increasing or decreasing the speed limit. Accidents occur mostly in the ghat section and we need to understand that the ghat section is not considered part of the Expressway. So the speed limit on the ghat section can be the same and the speed limit on the rest of the Expressway could be increased to around 110 kmph. These are just rough estimations and nothing can be termed as concrete until the speed limit study is conducted.”

Transport expert Jitendra Gupta pointed out that though the Expressway has the lowest speed limit, it has seen more accidents than any other Expressway in the country.