August 25, 2023
Pune: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed seeking interim measures to stop the traffic on Samruddhi Mahamarg (Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway) which has seen a number of fatalities in accidents.
As per information, the PIL was filed before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on August 24. The bench headed by Justice Atul Chandarkar and Justice Vrushali Joshi has served notices to the officials of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), principal secretaries of the state road transport and highway departments, national and state public works departments and other relevant officials to file their responses within four weeks.
The petitioner has alleged that since the inauguration of the expressway in December 2022, there have been 39 major accidents in which 88 people lost their lives, 87 other accidents in which 232 people were injured, and 215 minor accidents in which 428 persons were injured.
The petitioner has requested that all traffic be suspended until the necessary wayside amenities and safety measures are put in place to prevent further accidents and save lives. The PIL also asked for instructions to order a detailed survey and report on the operation of this access-controlled expressway and the need to put in place measures to reduce recurrent accidents on this road.
