Concerns rife about reckless driving by heavy vehicles on Pune-Mumbai Expressway days after fatal truck accident

Time of India

4 days ago

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Pune: Frequent travellers on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway have voiced growing concerns about reckless driving by heavy vehicles, particularly trucks, following the tragic accident on July 26 near Adoshi Tunnel in Khalapur taluka of Raigad.
The incident, caused by a container trailer truck's brake failure, claimed one life and injured 18 others, with the truck ramming into 22 vehicles.
Regular commuters expressed alarm over the lack of lane discipline among truck drivers, especially in ghat sections.
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"As someone who travels between Mumbai and Pune frequently, I'm constantly worried about trucks veering into the middle or right lanes when they're supposed to stick to the left," said one such regular expressway user, adding, "These trucks are often overloaded, and when you're driving in front of one, especially in the ghats, it's terrifying to think their brakes could fail, as we saw on Saturday.
Govt needs to enforce strict monitoring or restrict heavy vehicles to the old Mumbai-Pune highway.
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Rohan K, an actor and freelance artist who travels on the expressway weekly, said, "For the past five years, I've noticed trucks driving in the rightmost lane, especially at night, causing severe congestion near places like Amrutanjan Bridge. While they're supposed to stay in the left lane, there's no enforcement.
This defeats the purpose of an expressway meant for faster, safer travel. Diverting trucks to the old highway could prevent such accidents and reduce clogging.
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Sandeep Ranawat, another weekly user, said, "Large vehicle drivers just don't follow basic safety rules. Container trucks, multi-axle trucks, or trailers with significantly higher load capacities should have mandatory checks, and drivers need proper training to stick to traffic regulations.
It's frustrating to see heavy vehicles overtaking in the first lane, which is meant for lighter vehicles. There should be strict enforcement — maybe one or two chances for violations, but after that, serious action is a must.
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"Smaller trucks are just as bad, weaving in and out recklessly. Drivers must take annual tests, maybe online, to prove they understand traffic signs and safety protocols. Right now, we don't even know if trucks are being checked before they hit the road.
Another thing is that trucks should always have a driver and helper, but I've seen plenty on without the latter," he added.
According to Ranawat, drivers and vehicle owners involved in accidents like the recent expressway mishap should face heavy fines.
A senior Highway Safety Patrol (HSP) officer told TOI that accidents are more frequent on the Mumbai-bound (downhill) stretch of the expressway compared to the Pune-bound (uphill) journey.
"Only 5-10% of accidents here occur while travelling towards Pune, as the downhill journey towards Mumbai often involves issues like uncontrolled speed, brake failures, or clutch problems," the officer said.
The recent accident, compounded by heavy rainfall, underscored these risks, he said.
In response, HSP is intensifying efforts to curb violations. "We've already fined numerous drivers on the expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway for drunk driving in the last four months, with each fine amounting to Rs 10,000," the officer said.
Lane-cutting — a significant issue not just with trucks but also cars encroaching into the left lane meant for heavy vehicles — is being addressed through a dedicated squad. "The fine for lane-cutting is around Rs 2,000, and we're enforcing this more stringently. The expressway is equipped with rumble strips in the ghat sections to alert drivers to sharp curves or potential hazards, particularly if they're drowsy," the HSP officer added.