The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, one of India's first access-controlled corridors, has witnessed a significant surge in road incidents in 2024. Accidents on the expressway rose by 19%, while fatalities surged by 26%, from 65 in 2023 to 82 in 2024.
The number of fatal accidents also increased by 23%, from 57 to 70, and both serious and minor accidents saw alarming increases of 41% and 39%, respectively.
Most accidents due to speeding
At present, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and NH-4 converge near the Khalapur Toll Plaza and diverge near the Khandala exit. The section from Adoshi Tunnel to Khandala exit is a six-lane road, but it accommodates traffic from both the six-lane YCEW and four-lane NH-4, leading to congestion, especially during heavy traffic and landslides. This results in decreased speeds and increased travel time in this section, prompting drivers to speed up on the rest of the expressway, contributing to a higher number of accidents.
Accidents in state
Maharashtra's provisional accident data has shown that the number of road accidents increased sharply in 2024 when compared to 2023, while fatalities witnessed a minor dip. The rise in accidents on Mumbai-Pune Expressway was a sizable 19 per cent, though the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway saw a drop of 4 per cent, provisional data compiled by the highway police showed.
Maharashtra, the country's most industrialised state, has more than 3.8 crore vehicles.
The state witnessed 841 more accidents and 31 fewer fatalities in 2024 as compared to 2023, it showed.
Meanwhile, the news of traffic congestion on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the ensuing delays to reach their destination is not new, there is good news for travelers as the Missing Link of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is in its final stages of completion.
