No engineering shortcomings in Samruddhi expressway: top MSRDC official

Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) There are no flaws in the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg from the engineering point of view and while 125 fatal accidents have taken place on the expressway, more than 1.18 crore vehicles have used it safely so far, a senior official has said.

As many as 215 people have lost their lives on the expressway since its phased opening over the last two years, said Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) vice chairman and managing director Anilkumar Gaikwad on Friday.

He was talking to reporters after the inspection of ongoing work of the final phase between Igatpuri in Nashik district and Amane in Thane district.

Questions were raised about the six-lane expressway's design after a few major accidents took place.

"The expressway is designed for a speed of 150 kmph, and hence it is safer for its (existing) 120 kmph speed limit," Gaikwad said, adding that if drivers followed the rules and took care of their vehicles, there would not be any accidents.

Various factors played a role in the 125 fatal accidents reported so far, including loss of control (37 accidents, 55 lives lost), tailgating (24 accidents, 47 lives lost), driver sleepiness (18 accidents, 28 lives lost), tyre bursts (14 accidents, 16 lives lost), over speeding (eight accidents, 11 lives lost), vehicle fires (two accidents, 26 lives lost), mechanical failure (one accident, two lives lost), and other reasons (24 accidents, 30 lives lost), the official said.

"To date, more than 1.18 crore vehicles have travelled on the expressway and of those 125 vehicles met with fatal accidents that claimed 215 lives. If you look at these figures, more than 1.18 crore vehicles made a safe journey," he added.

This is only the second expressway in the state after the Mumbai-Pune Expressway which was fully commissioned in 2002. Hence, drivers in Maharashtra are not used to driving on such roads, but once they get experience, there would be fewer problems, Gaikwad said.

"Samruddhi Mahamarg was built following all Indian Road Congress guidelines, and hence from the engineering point of view there are no flaws or shortcomings," Gaikwad said.

To a question about `road hypnotism' which drivers are said to experience on the expressway because of the seemingly unchanging scenery outside, Gaikwad said colourful flags, murals and painted walls have been put up along some stretches, and rumblers have been installed every 25 km so that drivers remain alert.

Another senior MSRDC official said the corporation has floated tenders for implementing the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on the Samruddhi Mahamarg for curbing accidents. This system has already been implemented on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

Of the 701-km Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 625-km section is now open for traffic, while the Igatpuri- Thane stretch is likely to be opened from September-end.

The expressway, estimated to have cost Rs 55,000 crore, passes through 392 villages spread over ten districts. PTI KK KRK