Government to consider making Pune-Mumbai expressway eight lanes: Devendra Fadnavis

Fadnavis was responding to debate on Vinayak Mete’s death during the ongoing session of state assembly on Monday

Following the death of former legislator Vinayak Mete on the Pune-Mumbai expressway, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the government will consider expansion of the stretch to eight lanes to decongest traffic.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the government will consider expansion of the stretch to eight lanes to decongest traffic. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Fadnavis was responding to debate on Mete’s death during the ongoing session of state assembly on Monday when the leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar asked the government to increase one lane each on both sides of the expressway.

The deputy CM said that the construction of additional lanes and early completion of missing lane will help reduce traffic congestion. “If there is land available we can definitely add one lane on expressway. I will speak to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and take the decision after exploring the procedural and financial viabilities,” he said.

Fadnavis told the house that work on 13-km “missing link” between Sinhgad college to Khopoli exit has progressed and will be completed soon.

Responding to increase in traffic between the two cities, Fadnavis said there was a need for intelligent traffic management system (ITMS) which will be implemented to regulate traffic, especially with big trawlers and tankers jumping lanes. Fadnavis said ITMS will be implemented on expressway soon to offer immediate help to accident victims.

“The government has proposed to track the movement of heavy vehicles and containers along with other vehicles with the installation of ITMS and artificial intelligence (AI) on the busy expressway to help curb accidents besides checking vehicle movement discipline,” he said.

On August 14, Mete, former MLA, was killed in an accident that took place near Madap tunnel close to Khalapur toll plaza. Mete’s SUV was in the second of the six-lane expressway at the time of the accident. According to Eknath Kadam, who was accompanying Mete, the driver lost control of the SUV after a truck changed lanes.