Pune
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has begun the construction of a Highway Traffic Management System (HTMS) on the Pune-Mumbai expressway to reduce frequent accidents that cause traffic congestion.
The system’s installation will be completed by the end of September, officials confirmed. In addition, IRB Infra, the company that operates and maintains the route, has presented the concept of putting up special stops for vehicles, which will be implemented on the highway as soon as it is approved by the state government.
According to MSRDC, the state government ordered the adoption of the HTMS system to improve existing road safety measures and infrastructure.
“After a thorough recce of the accident-prone spots, this system will be implemented in such sensitive 94 km stretches of the highway and currently 40 per cent of the work has been completed,” said MSRDC superintending engineer Rahul Vasaikar.
He further informed that the target is to complete the work by the end of September.
“All along the expressway, there are many scenic spots, where passengers tend to halt on the roadside. Also, as motorists stop at restaurants or other locations along this busy stretch, the probability of an accident increases,” he added.
As a solution to that, a proposal has been prepared by IRB Company to stop vehicles at certain intervals along the highway. A recommendation has been sent to the state government in this regard and action will be taken as soon as the instructions are received from them.
“At present traffic police as well as highway officials and staff are taking action against unruly drivers. Particularly, action is being taken against drivers who are stopping vehicles on the highway. Under infrastructure projects, IRB has sent a proposal from the company regarding vehicle stops,” added Vasaikar.
Reacting to the development, Satish Kenkare, a frequent traveller on the Pune Mumbai expressway, said, “I regularly go by the expressway to Mumbai and the speed of vehicles is very high. There is always a risk of accidents in the Ghat section, therefore adopting preventative measures is a proactive move.”
