Maharashtra: How fatalities dropped on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

A stretch on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway being inspected

A few changes suggested by a research project of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway - which studied accident spots and reasons behind mishaps on the stretch - and implemented by officials have apparently helped reduce the overall accident rate along the expressway.

The simple changes include fixing tapering guard rails, removing heavy flowerpots, chopping of bushes on sharp curves that block vision, removal of curb stones, filling up gaps in the median and many more. The sustained efforts to implement these over the past nearly six years are now paying off, with the number of fatalities having come down.

Flowerpots in the median that caused severe harm to vehicles and occupants on impact, were removed

It all started in 2016 when a high number of road crashes were reported on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Following this, an MoU was signed with the Maharashtra government to reduce the accidents and a Zero-Fatality Corridor (ZFC) initiative was launched to make the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPEW) a model highway for road safety by the SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF), supported by Mahindra & Mahindra through its CSR funds and employee volunteers. All these agencies were part of the project that studied the issue.

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Since then the expressway has witnessed a steady reduction in road crash fatalities from 151 fatalities in 2016 to 86 fatalities till December 31, 2019. In 2017 there were 105 fatalities and in 2018 there were 110. In 2020, the expressway reported 66 fatalities in 63 crashes, as per the state highway police.

Yellow and black curb stones may look small and harmless but caused significant damage to vehicles when they ran off the road

Backed by extensive research, data science, and forensic investigation of road crashes, the key interventions undertaken jointly by SLF, MSRDC and Maharashtra police, have managed to sustain the reduction in fatalities. Over the years, SLF and MSRDC have jointly identified and implemented 3,000 engineering related suggestions on the expressway.

Piyush Tiwari, the founder and CEO of SLF, said, "The model of the MPEW is being replicated on multiple expressways and highways across the country and will contribute to saving lives nationally. We remain grateful to Mahindra & Mahindra, MSRDC and Maharashtra police for their unrelenting support to the Zero-Fatality Corridor project."

‘A matter of grave concern'

MSRDC has played a very crucial role in implementing the engineering review suggestions. Dr Chandrakant Pulkundwar, joint managing director, MSRDC said, "Every fatality on the expressway is a matter of grave concern for us. Though COVID-19 made things tougher with excessive burden on emergency services, we will not rest till we get to zero preventable deaths on this crucial link between Mumbai and Pune."

Bushes that hindered visibility around turns have been removed

Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, additional director general of police, Traffic said, "The Zero-Fatality Corridor project has resulted in a 52% reduction in road accident deaths on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway between 2016 and 2020. However, the challenge as seen in recent crashes on the stretch is the behaviour of truck drivers to drive down slopes on neutral gear, leading to heating of brakes and loss of control. Over-speeding on the expressway, especially by buses, is another area that we will be focusing on."

The police have ramped up enforcement drives with speed traps and about 46,563 challans were issued between July 28, 2020 and December 31, 2020. They are also patrolling and training officials in emergency medical response. Additionally, patrol vehicles deployed by SLF monitor illegal parking or stopping of vehicles, and barricade a broken-down vehicle and provide assistance or move to an authorised parking spot.

"We are very happy to see that the intervention is achieving desired results and believe it can work as a template for future road safety programmes," said Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra.

151
No. of fatalities on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in 2016

66
No. of fatalities on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in 2020