The apprehension that the illegal cutting of road divider on Pune-Mumbai expressway to provide access to the new cricket stadium at Gahunje village came true on Friday when a car hit a truck taking a turn on the expressway.
A woman was killed and four men injured in the mishap.
The car was going from Pune to Mumbai when the mishap took place. The truck too was going in the same direction, but on nearing the gap in the road divider, it took a sudden right turn to pass through the gap and head towards the stadium. In doing so, it blocked the path of the car, a Wagon R, resulting in the mishap.
According to the highway police, the right turn is not allowed for vehicles in front of Gahunje stadium, excluding emergency services such as ambulances and patrolling vehicles, yet heavy vehicles going towards the stadium are taking that right turn carelessly.
According to the Talegaon police, Katraj-based building contractor Ujefa Vakharia (45) was travelling from Pune to Mumbai in the car along with his parents and two workers. Ujefa was driving and his mother was sitting on the front seat, while his father Abbasbhai Vakharia (75) and the two workers, Sanjay Viseram (35) and Shivkumar Kondeshwar (31) were sitting behind. The car banged the truck at km 91/552.
Ujefa’s mother, Salma (66) died in the mishap while other occupants of the car were seriously injured.
The injured victims have been admitted to Lokmanya Hospital in Chinchwad.
The police have booked the truck driver, Budhappa Ranjunangi (42).
Superintendent of police (highways), Dilip Bhujbal said, “The truck was carrying a road roller. It took a right turn to go towards the stadium when the Wagon R car coming from its rear hit it. Turning of heavy vehicles is prohibited at that spot. Only emergency service vehicles such as ambulances, cranes and police vehicles are allowed to take the turn that too only in case of emergency. However, ever since the construction of the stadium began, heavy vehicles too have been taking turns through these emergency exits.”
The Gahunje stadium has an approach road through Gahunje village from old Pune-Mumbai highway,
but the containers carrying raw material often take the shortcut on the expressway to go to the stadium.
DNA had reported (Aug 13, 2011) that the chief minister had given approval to the Maharashtra Cricket Association for building the service roads.
When Bhujbal was asked why action has not been taken to curb the illegal right turns, he said, “The wall built for preventing anyone from turning on the expressway has been broken near the stadium and trucks use that illegal gap to reach the stadium from the expressway. We had written letters to IRB Ltd to rebuild the reinforced cement concrete (RCC) wall, but it is yet to be done.”
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) officials were not available for comment despite several calls.
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