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Neutral gear, speed gun in focus as Navale Bridge stretch reports accidents
The speed gun-CCTV camera facility installed by the Pune traffic police on Bhumkar Bridge to click photos of vehicles crossing the speed limit on the national highway stretch and prevent mishaps has now become a cause for accidents
The speed gun-CCTV camera facility installed by the Pune traffic police on Bhumkar Bridge to click photos of vehicles crossing the speed limit on the national highway stretch and prevent mishaps has now become a cause for accidents. Reason: Drivers of many heavy vehicles suddenly apply brakes after seeing the speed gun to avoid traffic violation and it could cause mishaps involving the following automobiles.
Locals said that many drive heavy vehicles in neutral gear on the steep slope and find it difficult to control speed, leaving the four-km stretch near Navale Bridge on the national highway an accident-prone spot. The highway police have kept 60 km per hour as maximum speed on the stretch.
On Sunday, a speeding truck rammed into over 40 vehicles when the driver lost control of the vehicle moving in neutral gear. Manilal Yadav, who was at the wheel, was taking advantage of the slope and had shut down the engine to save fuel causing break failure, and the accident that left 20 people injured.
Vehicle experts and police officials noted that when trucks cross the tunnel before the Dari Pul bridge, the drivers often put their vehicle on neutral gear. When these vehicles near the Navale Bridge, the drivers start applying brakes as other vehicles also enter the stretch. On neutral, the brake liners get heated and sometimes cause brake failure. Turning engine off and on neutral gear could result into brakes getting oil drained. Power brakes will not function if the vehicle is switched off. Turning off engine can also lead to locking of steering. There is a brake control button in heavy vehicle or truck which should be used by the driver on such slopes, but they take the risk to save fuel of around three to four litres.
Vijay Magar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said on Monday, “We held a meeting with senior officials today about the Navale Bridge accident and plan to take immediate preventive measures. We plan to install 2-3 more CCTV cameras on the stretch. We will meet other related government agencies and plan more road safety steps that will be informed soon.”
Residents and civic activists said that more steps other than CCTV camera installation need to be implemented to prevent accidents on the dangerous stretch.
In June this year, the then deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Rahul Shrirame had reviewed the accident-prone stretch from Bhumkar Bridge Chowk till Navale Bridge Chowk and decided to install CCTV camera to check speeding vehicles. Vehicles violating the 60kmph speed limit would get an automated fine message from the traffic police department with the photograph and actual speed crossed with fine of ₹2,000.
“I use this stretch of slope daily for work. Any vehicle on neutral gear on this road will gain speed and drivers will find it difficult to control the automobile. In the last couple of years, I have noticed that 90 per cent of accidents that took place on this stretch is due to speeding and installing one CCTV camera is not enough to prevent mishaps,” said Manoj Naidu, who lives near the highway.
The stretch between Katraj new tunnel and Navale Bridge Chowk has seen over 90 fatal accidents from 2014 till October 2022, half of which were due to human error, the police department claims.
As per the information given by the Pune police department, four black spots have been identified on this stretch: Dari Pul Bridge turn, Swami Narayan Temple Chowk and a nearby road, Narhe Selfie Point highway and service road and Navale Bridge Chowk.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Pune traffic police have put up several boards near Navale Bridge advising drivers to not shut down engine on the stretch, besides installing rumblers, and a police check post near the stretch in the recent months.
“The traffic police and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) should take up this issue on priority as some residents fear to use this stretch because of rise in accidents. Authorities should reduce the steepness of the slope and put up speed breakers. Many two-wheeler riders risk their lives while using the road,” said Ramesh Vidhate, secretary, Sinhagad Road Residents’ Forum.
Switch off engine while driving is dangerous
Switching off the engine of vehicles at slopes may help drivers save fuel, but it is risky and dangerous. The engine turned off can result in brakes getting drained when vehicle is in neutral. Power brakes of heavy vehicles may not work if engine is switched off. Turning off engine can also lead to locking of steering.
