Ever since the Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (HBTMSM) was inaugurated on December 11, 2022, it has witnessed 125 fatal accidents with 215 casualties till August 7, 2024. These include 37 accidents due to loss of control over vehicles with 55 casualties and 18 mishaps as a result of the driver suffering from lack of sleep which resulted in 28 casualties. Nearly 1.2 crore vehicles have used the expressway till date.
According to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the probable causes of accidents include sleepiness, high speeding, rash driving, overloading, drink & driving, stress, road hypnosis and distraction.
“While 1,013 mishaps were registered due to loss of control over the vehicle, 555 were recorded due to sleepiness and 434 as a result of the tyre burst. Mechanical failures and high speeding were the result of 73 accidents each while 32 mishaps were caused due to rash driving,” a senior MSRDC official said.
“Similarly, 1,871 incidents of minor injuries and 1,251 cases of major injuries were reported on the expressway apart from 215 fatal mishaps,” the official said adding, “We will be installing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) for the entire expressway. ITS is a national programme aimed at using modern computers and communications to make travel smarter, faster, safer and more convenient. Besides, we are also taking various measures such as planting trees along the HBTMSM apart from painting the medians with bright colours so that drivers don’t fall prey to the highway hypnotism resulting in reducing the mishaps.”
Currently, the MSRDC has completed the works from CP-1 to CP-14. The first phase of 520 km between Nagpur and Shirdi was opened on December 11, 2022 while the second phase of the road between Shirdi and Bharvir of 80 km was declared open on May 26, 2023.
The third phase of 25 km between Bharvir and Igatpuri was opened on March 4, 2024. Currently, 625 km out of the total 701 km of stretch of the HBTMSM has been made operational while the work on the remaining 76 km of stretch will be completed by the end of September, 2024.
"We are confident of finishing the remaining work by September-end. It's up to the state government which will decide to throw the expressway open for the public," MSRDC Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Anilkumar Gaikwad had told reporters.
Having Greenfield alignment, the HBTMSM is designed for a speed of 150 kmph. The right of way (ROW) is 120m in non-forest area and 90m in forest area. With a central median of 15m, the expressway also has a paved shoulder of 2m apart from the earthen shoulder.
Underpasses for wildlife and cattle crossing have been constructed adequately as also flyover/interchanges at major road crossings. The HBTMSM also has vehicular underpasses (VUPs) and pedestrian underpasses (PUPs) at every village/town and alignment that avoids passing through major towns.
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