Mumbai-Pune Expressway set to rumble towards safety

File photo of a luxury bus that rammed into a hillock on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Seven stretches on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have been selected for installing rumble strips in a bid to prevent accidents due to speeding. The busy highway often witnesses accidents as motorists drive at speeds of 130-140 kmph as opposed to the permissible limits of 100 kmph for light vehicles and 80 kmph for heavy vehicles.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation along with traffic police identified seven spots which are prone to accidents. "Rumble strips have been already installed near Amrutanjan bridge, Adoshi tunnel, Khopoli bypass and Anda point. At three other places, the contractor has started the work of installing rumble strips," an MSRDC official said.

Rumble strips are a series of close-knit strips that act as speed breakers.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is presently a 6-lane cement concrete road with 2.5-m wide paved shoulder on both sides, having a length of 94 kms. National Highway No 4 from Shil Phata to Dehu Road is a 4-lane bituminous pavement with a length of 111 kms.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway and NH-4 meet near Khalapur Toll Plaza and separate near Khandala exit. The section from Adoshi Tunnel to Khandala exit is a 6-lane road but the traffic of 10-lane road (6-lane of Mumbai-Pune Expressway + 4-lane of NH-4) plies in this section, leading to heavy traffic congestion. As this adds to the total travel time, motorists often drive at a faster speed to make up for it, which, in turn, increases the risk of accidents. In addition, several stretches of the road also are prone to landslides.