MSRDC installs safety fence to curb mishaps on e-way

Taking serious note of the rising number of fatal accidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) recently finished installation of Brifen wire rope safety fence on a 2.5 km-long stretch. If the experiment proves successful, then the safety fence would be installed at other locations as well. The fence was installed between the 73 km and 77 km stretch. While the installation work commenced last month, it concluded last week.

The Brifen wire rope safety fence has been installed by the MSRDC on an experimental basis. The fences would be set up along the entire expressway if they help curb accidents

The decision to install the safety fence was taken after two Marathi actors lost their lives in a mishap on the expressway on December 24, 2012. Transport Expert Sudhir Badami said, "It is good to see that the MSRDC has started installing safety wire ropes on the expressway. Though these ropes can't rule out the possibility of an accident, they surely reduce the scale of fatality." He said that if the experiment proves successful, then such fences should be installed at other locations on the expressway as well, and highway police must fine over-speeding motorists to curb untoward incidents on the expressway.

Commenting on the installation of the fence, another transport expert Jitendra Gupta said, "We will have to wait and see how successful the experiment turns out to be. Only after having proper results, the decision to install the fence at other locations on the expressway should be taken. If installed on the entire 95-km-stretch, without studying its efficacy, the fence would be a sheer waste of public money. Also, more reflectors should be installed at other locations on the expressway."

Additional care
Apart from installation of the safety fence, the MSRDC decided to construct an ultra-modern truck terminus on the expressway where drivers can halt and take rest. It has been observed that most accidents happen when drivers feel sleepy behind the wheel. The MSRDC also decided to speed up the work of setting up a trauma centre, equipped with an air ambulance facility, on the Lonavala-Pune stretch of the expressway. In addition, signboards mentioning speed limit and accident-prone areas would also be installed along the expressway and awareness about slow driving on the expressway would be imparted at toll plazas. u00a0