Samruddhi sees rise in accidents, deaths; Mum-Pune e-way registers dip

Accidents on the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway rose 32% in 2024, with fatalities up 21%, while the Mumbai-Pune Expressway saw a 2% drop in accidents and 26% in deaths.

Mumbai: Accidents on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway between January and November this year registered a 32% rise compared to the same period in 2024, alongside a 21% increase in deaths. Accidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway between January and November, however, dropped marginally by 2% while fatalities registered a 26% dip, according to data from the state transport department.

Samruddhi sees rise in accidents, deaths; Mum-Pune e-way registers dip

Both the expressways come under the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

A total of 168 accidents occurred on Samruddhi Expressway between January and November; 117 among these were fatal mishaps, resulting in 138 deaths, up from 87 fatal accidents and 114 deaths during the corresponding period in 2024. Accidents which caused serious injury but not death during the January-to-November period this year numbered 40, affecting 119 people, while 80 people sustained minor injuries in six other accidents. There were also five more accidents on the expressway wherein none were injured.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, on the other hand, witnessed a total of 172 accidents between January and November, of which 54 were fatal, resulting in 61 deaths, a drop from 2024 when 82 people were killed in 66 fatal mishaps. Accidents which caused serious injury but not death during the January-to-November period this year numbered 37, affecting 128 people, while 79 people sustained minor injuries in 25 other accidents. There were also 56 more accidents on the expressway wherein none were injured.

The stark difference in fatalities on the two expressways, according to Bharat Kalaskar, Deputy Transport Commissioner (Road Safety), Maharashtra, was the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS).

“The Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been equipped with ITMS for a year now,” said Kalaskar.

ITMS harnesses technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and video analytics to manage traffic, reduce congestion and boost safety through smart signals, automatic registration plate recognition and violation detection. The MSRDC initiated the process of installing the ITMS on Samruddhi expressway in April this year.

Kalaskar, however, noted that data on accidents and deaths on the Samruddhi expressway in 2024 and 2025 cannot be compared as the 701-km expressway was opened in phases.

A 520-km stretch from Nagpur was opened in December 2022, the 105-km stretch between Shirdi and Bharvir was operationalised in May 2023, and the 25-km stretch between Bharvir and Igatpuri was opened in March 2024. The last 76 km of the expressway was opened for traffic in June this year.

The transport department’s claim of ITMS making a difference vis-a-vis fatal accidents was countered by Piyush Tewari, founder and chief executive officer of SaveLIFE Foundation.

“ITMS alone doesn’t make a difference. It has to be married with engineering interventions as well as visible enforcement,” he said.

For instance, he said that MSRDC had executed several changes in infrastructure on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway since 2016, which were now making a difference. These included attenuating around concrete objects, closing gaps in the median, installing tactile shoulder lines to alert drivers who doze off, and patrol vehicles and ambulances stationed at strategic locations.

Tewari also expressed concern about the lack of rest stops and truck lay-by bays on the Samruddhi expressway.

“We recommend at least seven rest stops in each direction, at every 100 km. Among the major causes (of accidents) here are rear-end collisions, that majorly occur due to fatigue-related and monotonous driving,” said Tewari. He suggested the installation of tactile shoulder lines to reduce accidents and fatalities on the expressway.

Tewari also said that on the Samruddhi expressway, emergency vehicles were usually parked around toll plazas as public conveniences were located at these spots.

“But these vehicles should be stationed closer to black spots and strategic locations. Until these measures are implemented, fatalities may continue to see an increase,” he said.