Mumbai-Pune Expressway traffic affected, as MSRDC clears loose soil, boulders to stop landslides
Officials are closing the stretch towards Mumbai, near Adoshi tunnel, for 15 minutes every one hour to do the work
In an effort to prevent landslides on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on Tuesday started clearing loose soil and boulders from the adjacent hills.
As a result, traffic heading towards Mumbai is affected slightly.
For smooth flow of work, the MSRDC is shutting the road near Adoshi tunnel in the ghat section for short durations every one hour. “We have been blocking the road for short durations since 9.30am, and it will continue till 3.30pm,” said an MSRDC official. “Vehicles are being stopped only once in an hour and for not more than 15 minutes. Most of our work is being done on the Pune-Mumbai lane.”
“If these huge boulders and loose soil fall on the highway, it is dangerous, besides affecting vehicular traffic. As a precautionary measure, we are removing them,” he said.
The MSRDC has formed a special team to monitor the task, and it is patrolling the area between Khalapur and Lonavla as these areas see the maximum number of landslides.The team, which has joined hands with state highway authorities and the local police, is working with personnel from police stations and chowkis along the highway.
The MSRDC is not sure how long it will take to complete this work. The official said the team would keep patrolling the highway throughout the monsoon.