Mumbai: Given the hardships faced by scores of citizens during the 33-hour gridlock on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway over the past two days, timely activation of a well-devised State Disaster Management Plan (SDMP) could have provided significant relief.
Plan Already Approved
Although the SDMP, approved in 2023, may not specifically address traffic congestion on critical corridors such as the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, it does outline measures to restrict public movement to affected areas and ensure timely dissemination of information, a retired government official said.
He explained that the Incident Response System (IRS) could have been activated to inform citizens about the emergency situation.Dissemination of accurate and timely public information and warnings is an integral component of the SDMP and could have greatly helped people planning to use the affected stretch of the highway.
Chemical Disaster Protocols
In such situations, the well equipped Mantralaya Control Room can function as an effective coordination hub between state authorities, including the police, various government departments, and district administrations. The control room is capable of using the Bulk Messaging System, which leverages networks of telecom operators to disseminate alerts through SMS.
Additionally, state or district authorities can block entry points to affected roads and divert motorists to alternative routes, thereby preventing traffic snarls stretching up to 25 km, another government official said.
The SDMP also details protocols for industrial chemical disasters, under which an offsite emergency control room can be established by the concerned district collector. Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) can be deployed to affected areas to assist stranded people. The plan further recommends evacuation to safe locations, deployment of medical teams for those in need, and provision of temporary shelters equipped with food, water, clothing or blankets, medicines, lighting, and sanitation facilities.
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