Rumble strips to be installed every 5 km on Samruddhi Expressway to keep motorists alert

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In light of the recent accidents on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, rumble strips will be installed every 5 km on the operational stretch and sculptures will be erected along the carriageway to keep motorists alert, an official said on Monday.

As many as 3,500 accidents have been reported on the expressway since its launch in December 2022, the official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) said.

Of the 701-km long expressway, the stretch between Nagpur to Bharvir (582 km) is operational, and nearly 49 lakh vehicles have travelled on it till September since the launch, he said.

"Rumble strips will be installed every 5 km. At present, the strips are at a distance of around 10 km. We are also planning to install cameras to monitor the speed of vehicles at regular intervals," the official said, clarifying that the project is in the planning phase.

The MSRDC also plans to place sculptures along the carriageway to break the monotony, and the roadside will be made more colourful with some paintings, he said.

In a post on 'X', Ambadas Danve, leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, recently claimed that the top permissible speed for four-wheelers on Samruddhi Expressway is being brought down to 100 km/h from 120 km/h.

He said that if the top speed on this expressway is brought down, why people would people use it, and the project will be a loss.