As per data provided by the “Zero-Fatality Corridor” project, the number of fatalities on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has reduced by 52% between 2016 and 2020. The stretch had witnessed a 43% reduction in road crash fatalities. Around 150 fatalities were reported in 2016 and 86 fatalities in 2019. However, last year, the Expressway reported 66 fatalities and 63 accidents.
According to data, the figure states that there has been a drop in fatalities since 2016. The Zero-Fatality Corridor is now being replicated at multiple expressways and highways across the country. Meanwhile, the highway police have ramped up enforcement drives on the Expressway to ensure specific human risk factors are mitigated.
The traffic police have installed speed traps along this corridor, due to which 46,563 challans have been issued between July 28, 2020, and December 31, 2020.
Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, additional DGP, traffic, said, “The challenge is the truck drivers who tend to drive on neutral gear, leading to heating of brakes. Due to this they lose control of their vehicle. Over-speeding on the Expressway is another issue.”
MSRDC has played a very crucial role in implementing the engineering review suggestions. So far, 3000 engineering-related suggestions have been implemented. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Joint Managing Director, MSRDC, said, “We will not rest till we get to zero preventable deaths on this crucial link.”
