E-Paper
Keep a watch on speed limit while commuting on Pune-Mumbai e-way: Sanjay Jadhav
According to Jadhav during the unlock phase last year the police officials focused on creating road safety awareness among masses and will continue to take strict action against violators
The traffic movement on the Pune-Mumbai expressway was less in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. According to the Maharashtra Highway State Police (HSP), Pune division in 2020 (January to December), a total of 42 accidents were reported and 26 people lost their lives, while in 2019 (January to December) a total of 87 accidents were reported and 37 people lost their lives.
According to Sanjay Jadhav, superintendent of Police, Highway State Police (HSP), Pune, during the unlock phase last year the police officials focused on creating road safety awareness among masses and will continue to take strict action against violators. He speaks to Dheeraj Bengrut about the plan ahead.
1. What would you say about overall expressway operations in 2020 and the decline in the number of accidents and fatalities?
For at least four months due to complete lockdown, there was a fewer number of vehicles on the expressway. When the unlock process started, we focused mainly on creating awareness among people about safe driving. Through interceptor vehicles we are taking action on speeding vehicles, our camera action near the Kamshet tunnel and heavy vehicles action on the left lane on the expressway are some of the key measures which we had taken in 2020.
Now, we have also started announcements at the tolla nakas for the public, through which we create awareness about travelling safely and following rules like using a seat belt, lane discipline, not using a mobile phone while driving among other things. Along with this road the infrastructure has also improved, rumbler strips were installed and unauthorised punctures were cut down.
2. How do you plan to improve operations?
We will be continuing our regular actions against speeding, lane cutting and other safety-related awareness amongst drivers on the expressway. We will also monitor the vehicular movement coming on the expressway from the nearby villages and conduct an audit of roads. Accordingly speed breakers will be installed on these roads.
Another focus area for us will be to keep a track on heavy vehicles. We want to keep the left lane only for the use of heavy vehicles. Most of the times these heavy trucks move from the middle or first lane and other small vehicles while overtaking them go in a zig-zag formation, which is risky or leads to accidents.
3. What is you appeal to commuters using the expressway?
Commuters should keep a watch on the speed limit while driving on the expressway. Rather then we taking action against them they should be responsible and follow norms. Everyone should realise that back home our family wants us to be safe so we should take our own responsibility.
