E-way: Police call for changes at 19 ‘black spots’

The Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway,which connects Pune and Mumbai,has witnessed more than 680 deaths in more than around 10,000 small and major accidents since 2005. More than 2,000 persons have been seriously injured in these mishaps. Since the last five years,the number of deaths in a year has never been below 100. In the last eight months of this year,as many as 76 persons have lost their lives.

The highway is manned by Pune and Thane divisions of SHP. The police have identified as many as 19 “very accident prone spots” which they describe as black spots and have been writing to the MSRDC about improvements needed at these spots.

SHP superintendent of police Dilip Bhujbal told Newsline,”The contract of operations and maintenance has been given to the IRB (Ideal Road Builders) by the MSRDC. But it must not forget its responsibility. It is unfortunate that changes that will save many lives are not being implemented on priority basis.”

Bhujbal added,”We have suggested that at some of the spots,slope and inclination of the road need to be changed. At some spots,protective walls need to be put up and at some safety fencing needs repair.” Of the 19 black spots,at least five are ‘exit points’ from which connecting roads to some of the towns emanate. Cops have a list of improvements that are urgently needed at these exit points.

MSRDC superintending engineer Arun Deodhar said,”As far as I know,we have started work on most of the suggestions made by the police.” But he refused to comment further.

Senior police officers with individual highway divisions known as taps said no work has started at any of the 19 spots. Bhujbal said,”It has been observed that in the four months of rainy season the number of accidents is more.” He,however,said number fatalities depends on individual cases and no specific pattern has been observed.