Pune: To reduce the traffic congestion on the expressway, the highway authorities have decided to install height barriers on the Khalapur toll plaza to Lonavla exit point, 19 km stretch, in the first lane to maintain the lane discipline. The lane was inaugurated on Thursday at Khalapur toll plaza.
The ghat section of the expressway towards Mumbai and the section of the expressway after the Kamshet tunnel towards Pune have been the most accident-prone areas. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the highway traffic police have implemented many projects to reduce the accidents.
Superintendent of Highway Police Amol Tambe said that the initiative was taken on the instructions of Additional Director General of Police (Highway)
RK Padmanabhan.
“We found that many places, heavy vehicles occupy the first lane of the expressway which makes it difficult for small and emergency vehicles to pass through. We have frequently made announcements for heavy vehicles to use only second and third lane but some heavy vehicles continue to use the first lane thus creating problems for small vehicles. Currently, the initiative is implemented in ghat sections of the expressway where more traffic chaos is witnessed,” an official from highway police said.
