Motorists using the 94-km-long Mumbai-Pune Expressway in order to travel to and from between Mumbai and Pune face the prospect of ensuring long traffic jams, as some lanes of the Expressway are likely
Motorists using the 94-km-long Mumbai-Pune Expressway in order to travel to and from between Mumbai and Pune face the prospect of ensuring long traffic jams, as some lanes of the Expressway are likely to remain shut. This is because the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is yet to complete the work of installing nets and carry out the process of rock bolting where bolts are inserted to remove loose rocks to avoid landslides on the Expressway during monsoons.
The Expressway is known for landslides during monsoons, which has resulted in accidents and people losing their lives. The landslide not only results in human loss but also disturbs the normal traffic on the route.
Last year, after back-to-back incidents of landslides following heavy rainfalls, the MSRDC decided to carry out work near Adoshi tunnel after a study by the IIT Bombay suggested the same. The MSRDC in May 2016 came out with a Rs 12.1 crore tender to design and carry out the execution of rocks identified as rock fall risk areas as a mitigation measure.
“We are yet to decide on the blocking on some lanes and the work of rock bolting is nearing completion and till now there is no need to shut lanes for carrying out work,” Kiran Kurundkar, joint managing director, MSRDC.
However, a senior MSRDC official handling the monitoring work on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, said, “At this point of time we can expect the work to get over by this month and even if it takes time there are chances of shutting a few lanes as visibility during monsoons is low and it is necessary to shut lanes for the safety of the workers carrying out work on the site.”
Meanwhile, traffic on the Expressway was slow moving throughout Sunday, as it was a weekend. “The traffic increases during weekends, specially during the first month of monsoons because there are many travelling towards Lonavala and Khandala, as they are hill stations,” said a state highway police official.
He further added that if the need arises for the MSRDC to shut lanes to carry out work on the Expressway, it would prefer shutting lanes on weekdays as traffic flow is lesser on weekdays when compared to weekends.
