9 months ago
Pune's Navale Bridge Area: Undeveloped Service Roads Amidst Rising Accidents
Imagine a busy highway near a bridge where many accidents have happened, sadly causing many deaths over the last five years.
The local government is now trying to fix this dangerous spot.
One big problem is that the small side roads, called service roads, which local cars could use to stay off the main highway, haven't been built for a very long time, about 18 years!
This forces everyone to use the fast highway.
So, the government has promised to build these service roads quickly, in about six months.
They are also planning to make the highway safer by adding bumpy strips to slow down cars, having more police around, and possibly lowering the speed limit.
They hope that by making these changes, especially by letting local cars use the service roads, they can stop many accidents and save lives.
Service roads near Pune's Navale Bridge remain undeveloped after 18 years, contributing to traffic issues and accidents.
Authorities plan to construct these service roads within six months to separate local traffic from the highway.
A three-pronged strategy is being implemented to reduce vehicle speed, including thicker rumbler strips and a lower speed limit of 30-40 kmph.
Over the past five years, the stretch from Katraj tunnel to Vadgaon bridge has recorded 93 fatalities in 76 accidents.
An elevated road is planned for the area, with completion expected in two and a half years, alongside increased police presence and surveillance cameras.
- Who
- Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), traffic police, highway police, PMRDA, NHAI, PWD, and commuters.
- What
- Authorities are implementing a three-pronged strategy and prioritizing the construction of service roads to address a high accident rate on the Pune-Bengaluru highway stretch near Navale Bridge, which has seen 93 fatalities in 76 accidents over five years. The service roads have remained undeveloped for 18 years.
- Where
- Navale Bridge area and the stretch from New Katraj tunnel to Vadgaon bridges on the Pune-Bengaluru highway, Pune.
- When
- Recent implementation following an accident on Friday; service roads to be built in six months; elevated road expected in 2.5 years.
- Why
- To reduce the high number of accidents and fatalities (93 in five years) attributed to speeding, traffic congestion, and the lack of proper service roads, exacerbated by the highway's slope and sudden traffic merging.
Victims' Families and Commuters
Authorities and Officials
Need for Service Road Development
Victims' Families and Commuters
Highlight the urgent need for undeveloped service roads, which have been neglected for 18 years, to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce reliance on the main highway for local travel. The development of these roads is seen as crucial for preventing accidents.
Authorities and Officials
Officials acknowledge the long delay in service road construction and commit to prioritizing their development within six months. They believe these roads will be vital for segregating local traffic from long-distance highway traffic, thereby easing congestion.
Reducing Accidents and Fatalities
Victims' Families and Commuters
Emphasize that the high number of fatalities (93 in 76 accidents over five years) is unacceptable and demands immediate, comprehensive action beyond just temporary measures. There's a strong implication that authorities have been too slow to act.
Authorities and Officials
Authorities outline a three-pronged strategy including police regulation to slow vehicles, thicker rumbler strips every 500 meters to reduce speed limits to 30-40 kmph, and increased police presence. They also propose banning two-wheelers from the main stretch and diverting them to service roads. A traffic engineering firm will be hired for a comprehensive plan, and cameras will be installed.
Addressing the Slope and Vehicle Dynamics
Victims' Families and Commuters
Suggest that the steep slope from Katraj tunnel to Navale bridge, coupled with the heavy load on vehicles, contributes significantly to accidents, implying that engineering solutions to mitigate the slope might be necessary.
Authorities and Officials
Officials acknowledge the 180-meter elevation difference and the challenges faced by heavy vehicles with heated brakes on the existing slope, noting it is to IRC norms but still fatal. They are considering measures to reduce the severity of the slope and better segregate vehicles.
Key facts
- Fatalities in 5 Years
- 93
- Accidents in 5 Years
- 76
- Undeveloped Service Roads Duration
- 18 years
- Proposed Speed Limit
- 30-40 kmph
- Service Road Construction Timeline
- 6 months
- Elevated Road Completion Timeline
- 2.5 years
- Elevation Difference (Katraj Tunnel to Navale Bridge)
- 180 meters
Quotes
Deputy Commissioner of Police Himmat Jadhav
Deputy Commissioner of Police
“The slope from Katraj tunnel is as per the norms of the Indian Road Congress but it is still fatal. The severity of the slope should be brought down… The reason for the high fatalities on this stretch is because when a vehicle comes from a long distance, say Kolhapur or Belgaum, the driver suddenly encounters traffic in Pune moments after leaving Katraj tunnel. As he may have been travelling at 60-70 kmph from Kolhapur and Satara, which are not as chaotic as Pune, he suddenly finds an array of vehicles moving in all directions which confuses him, leading to accidents. I think therefore the segregation of vehicles by road and by time is necessary to reduce accidents.”
indianexpress.com
“The elevation difference between Katraj tunnel and the lower point of Navale bridge is 180 metres. When a heavy vehicle like a container leaves Katraj tunnel, the drivers are not able to apply brakes because of the heavy payload. The air brakes get heated up and detached. No matter how hard the driver tries, he cannot apply brakes.”
indianexpress.com
Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram
Pune Municipal Commissioner
“The service roads have not been made for 18 years. They should have been made. We want to ensure that the service roads are used by local traffic while the long distance traffic uses the highway stretch. We believe that the service roads will help ease the traffic nightmare on the stretch as the local traffic won’t have to use the highway.”
indianexpress.com
“The aim is to slow down the speed of vehicles on this stretch.”
indianexpress.com
PMC chief
PMC chief
“The presence of a police chowki ensures a sense of discipline among drivers. Police might argue that they are not in a position to check every vehicle, but I think mere police presence will instill fear among the drivers, especially those of heavy vehicles.”
indianexpress.com
“NHAI will implement the elevated road plan. I am in touch with NHAI. We are expecting the road in two and half years. PMC will follow up with NHAI.”
indianexpress.com
Naval Kishore Ram
Pune Municipal Commissioner
“The rumble strips will not be like the present ones. The thickness of the rumbler strips will be increased.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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