Commuters in light passenger vehicles (M1) will now be able to travel at the speed of 60 kmph in the ghat section, an improvement over the previous sp
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The Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway, more popularly known as the Mumba-Pune Expressway has received a new set of speed limits that are applicable with immediate effect. Commuters in light passenger vehicles (M1) will now be able to travel at the speed of 60 kmph in the ghat section, an improvement over the previous speed limit of 50 kmph. The speed limit of 100 kmph on the flat sections of the expressway remains unchanged.
As per the latest notification issued by Sukhwinder Singh, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic), Maharashtra, the speed limits were revised based on a survey conducted by a team of experts. The notification states that the change applies to the Bhor Ghat section and across the entire route of the 94 km fast lane. Furthermore, the police will be applying strict enforcement with the help of CCTV cameras installed at various locations.
Also Read : Driving on Yamuna Expressway set to get slower from next week. Here’s why.
The change aims to reduce accidents across the route, which is prone to frequent mishaps. The authorities found out that vehicles were more susceptible to crashes if drivers did not reduce the speed drastically from 100 kmph in flat sections to 50 kmph in the ghat within time. It would also lead to panic braking to meet the speed limit further endangering the vehicle occupants.
While the authorities don’t state the same, the 60 kmph speed cap on the ghat section seems to be the sweet spot when it comes to maintaining consistent speed safely. This should also lead to smoother movement of traffic along the way.
Here’s a look at the speed limits prescribed on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as per vehicle category:
- Category M Vehicles (up to 8 passengers, including the driver): The speed limit is 100 km/hour for most of the route, but it drops to 60 km per hour in the ghat section.
- Category M2 and M3 Vehicles (9 or more passengers, including the driver): These vehicles have a speed limit of 80 km/hour on the main expressway, but it has been reduced to 40 km/hour in the ghat area.
- Goods-Carrying Vehicles: For trucks and other goods-carrying vehicles, the speed limit is 80 km/hour on the main expressway and 40 km/hour in the ghat section.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway going through an overhaul with the new ‘Missing Link’ project. The upcoming link will bypass the ghat section altogether and further shorten the distance between the two cities. Experts suggest that the Missing Link project will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 minutes.
First Published Date: 23 Apr 2024, 20:54 PM IST
