The current speed limit on the Ghat section between Lonavala in Pune district and Khalapur in Raigad district has led to frequent issuance of e-challans as it is challenging for heavy vehicles to slow down on the steep slope, slowing down traffic and leading to accidents.
Discussions are going on to increase the speed limit of vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway . According to information received from officials, discussions are going on to increase the speed limit of heavy vehicles like trucks and buses from the current 40 kilometers per hour to 45-50 kilometers per hour on the slope of the Pune-Mumbai route, also known as Khandala Ghat.
A decision is likely to be taken on this soon. This is being done so that heavy vehicles coming down the Bhorghat section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway can descend the slope a little faster. Currently, heavy vehicles pick up high speed on the slope. Later they have to pay a challan. To eliminate this problem, there are preparations to increase the speed limit.
Car or light vehicle will not get exemption
However, there are no plans to relax the speed limit for cars or light vehicles. The current speed limit for cars on the 10-km-long ghat section is 60 kmph, which is unlikely to change. The speed limit on other sections of the country’s first access-controlled expressway is 100 kmph for small vehicles and 80 kmph for heavy vehicles.
Fine of Rs 2000
A fine of Rs 2,000 is imposed on a vehicle for violating the speed limit for the first time. The amount increases for subsequent violations. Teams of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), highway police, state transport department and transporters conducted a joint survey of the ghat section last month to assess the ground reality.
Transporters and some officials called the existing speed limit of 40 kmph for heavy vehicles on Bhor Ghat “unscientific”, “unrealistic” and “unreasonable”. Officials found that allowing vehicles to ply at a slightly faster speed would save time, fuel, maintenance cost and help avoid “unnecessary” e-challans. According to transporters, e-challans have increased on the ghat section after the introduction of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on the 95-km-long route, which comprises multiple speed-monitoring cameras and other equipment.
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