PUNE: A day after the accident on the Pune-Mumbai expressway, which claimed five lives, state home minister R R Patil visited the accident site on Tuesday and reviewed the measures being planned for improving road safety.
Patil examined the existing condition of the median and the service roads. He also checked the remains to the two vehicles which were involved in the accident on Monday. Five people were killed and two others were injured in the accident when a speeding car jumped the median and crashed into van coming from the opposite direction.
Incidentally, this was Patil's second visit to the expressway in a month. Earlier this month, he had attended a road safety week programme near Talegaon.
Patil said he will personally follow up on the proposals given by the highway police about preventing vehicles from crossing over from one corridor to the other. The highway police have suggested construction of a brick wall up to a height of 2.5 metre along the seven-metre wide median.
Saplings can be planted in the wall structure, which will be filled with soil. At present, small trees and saplings have been planted along the median. However, most of the saplings and trees have dried up at many places, which leads to vehicles crossing from one side to the other in the event of an accident.
Patil said all technical issues pertaining to the suggestions will be examined and taken up with the public works department at the earliest. Strict action should be taken against traffic rule violators, especially those who overspeed.
Patil said he will also follow up the proposal by the state highway police regarding displaying of traffic warning boards on overbridges on the expressway. While half the portion will be used for displaying advertisements, the other half will be used to display traffic boards warning drivers against speeding, lane-cutting, and reckless driving.
The home minister was accompanied by superintendent of highway police (Pune division) Dilip Bhujbal, rural police and IRB officials.
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