142 lives lost in accidents on Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway in one year: minister

Nagpur: As many as 142 persons have died in accidents on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway since the inauguration of its first phase one year ago, Maharashtra PWD minister Dada Bhuse told the state legislative council here on Friday.

He was responding to a calling attention motion about the high frequency of accidents on the expressway. The first 520-km-long phase of the road linking Nagpur and Shirdi was opened for traffic in December 2022.

The minister informed the House that at least 73 major accidents took place on the expressway since its inauguration and 142 persons died.

Some 66 lakh vehicles have plied on the road so far, Bhuse said.

Seventy per cent of the barrier construction work on both sides has been completed, he said, adding that 16 "station points" with facilities including petrol pumps, eateries and toilets will come up in the next four months.

Twelve persons were killed in an accident on the road on October 14. Before that, 25 passengers were charred to death on July 1 when a private sleeper bus caught fire after hitting the divider.

The calling attention motion had been tabled by leader of opposition Ambadas Danve, Amol Mitkari, Aniket Tatkare, Satish Chavan and Vikram Kale.