Pune: Next time when your travel by the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, keep your eye on the watch instead of the speedometer because the state highway police are going to check the time taken by you to cross the 50-kilometre distance between two toll plazas – Urse and Khalapur – to determine whether you have violated the speed norms for vehicles one-way.
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will be implementing the new rule from August 1. Police have set a limit of 37 minutes for vehicles to cross the 50 kilometres distance between the toll plazas. Anybody doing it in less time than this will be penalised with a fine of Rs 1000.
Anil Hagawane, Assistant Inspector of Highway Police said, “The fine amount will directly be deducted through the fastag linked to your bank account. Police will not stop the vehicle and an electronic receipt will be sent to the driver immediately. First-time violators will be charged Rs 1000 and repeat violators will be charged incremental.”
The speed limit for light vehicles is 100 kilometres per hour and for heavy vehicles, it is 80 kilometres per hour. For the Borghat section which is 15 kilometres long, the speed limit is only 50 kilometres per hour for all vehicles. The Urse toll plaza is located in Pune district while the Khalapur toll plaza falls in Raigad district. If the motorists follow the speed norms set by the police for the expressway, they would take 36 to 37 minutes or more to cross this stretch of 50 kilometres distance. Those who would drive at a higher speed will reach the toll plaza before time, indicating that he or she has violated the speed norms. This decision was taken in order to curb the over-speeding by motorists on the expressway and to reduce the fatal accidents on the stretch.
Dilip Ukirde, Chief Engineer of MSRDC said, “MSRDC will provide the required data to the Highway Police.”
