The recent tragedy on the Samruddhi Mahamarg in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, where 12 individuals lost their lives, including a four-month-old infant, while returning to Nashik after a pilgrimage, is just one of several significant accidents that have occurred on the expressway, prompting serious safety concerns.
According to the police, the victims were travelling to Nashik from Buldhana Sailani Baba Dargah when their minibus rammed a container truck early morning. Around 23 people were injured in the incident.
A total of 1,282 accidents have taken place on the expressway since December 2022, of which accidents involving 67 vehicles during this period have resulted in 135 deaths.
Samruddhi Mahamarg: Safety Concerns Persist as Accidents Continue on Maharashtra’s New Expressway
In the nine months since Samruddhi Mahamarg opened to traffic, nearly 48 lakh vehicles have plied on a 600-km stretch from Nagpur to Bharvir in Igatpuri. The total highway covers a distance of 701 km.
Two major accidents caused 37 of these deaths. In one accident, a private AC sleeper bus caught fire after the drunk driver lost control in July, while on October 15, 12 people died and 23 others were injured, said Anil Gaikwad, MD of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Regarding the accident that occurred on Sunday, it seems that, at first glance, the mini-bus, specifically a Tempo Traveller, collided with the truck from the rear, as per Gaikwad’s initial observations. The official mentioned that analyzing the recorded entry point data for both vehicles involved in the accident will aid in comprehending the accident’s circumstances and assessing the speed at which they were traveling at the time. The official also confirmed that the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and Highway police will be responsible for determining the precise cause of the accident, and they have ruled out any engineering fault as the root cause of the incident.
Safety Measures: Striving for International Road Standards
The official said the number of accidents on Samruddhi Mahamarg is fewer compared to other state highways. The expressway has no engineering defects, he added, in fact it is one the highways built with international road safety qualities.
Although Samruddhi Mahamarg has 150 km of road speed design to enforce speed limit, to improve safety for vehicles, siren sounds are made at exit tolls and penalties are imposed for speeding violations. Colorful flags are placed every 10 km to prevent highway hypnosis, and rumbler strips at every 25 km provide a vibrating noise to prevent drowsiness, Gaikwad said, on the directions of Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The Samruddhi Mahamarg’s remaining 101-kilometer segment, which links to Mumbai, is currently in the construction phase, with roughly 80 kilometers already finished.
This stretch is complex and runs on challenging terrain with mountains and lakes, including 16 viaducts and six tunnels. As per the MSRDC, this 101-km stretch is expected to be open by May 2024.