Three separate mishaps at three grade separators in Pimpri Chinchwad threw the vehicular traffic on the much-sought Pune-Mumbai Highway (NH-4) out of gear for six hours on Tuesday.
Seven cars were damaged in the mishaps. However, nobody was injured.
The accidents took place on the grade separators in Pimpri, Chinchwad and Kharalwadi.
At Chinchwad grade separator, three cars rammed into a tanker. At Pimpri, a container got stuck while a car rammed into a bus in Kharalwadi.
Pimpri : Around 4.30 am, an oversized and loaded container hit the top of the Pimpri grade separator and it got stuck. It took a four-hour operation involving four cranes to pull the container out and clear the way.
Kharalwadi: An hour later, at 5.30 am, a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus heading towards Mumbai broke down at Kharalwadi grade separator. Due to the sudden halt, a car rammed into it. It took nearly five hours for the traffic police to tow away the damaged vehicles and streamline the flow of traffic.
Chinchwad: Just as the traffic flow started limping back to normalcy, another mishap in Chinchwad grade separator slowed it down. Three cars rammed into a tanker at the grade separator opposite D Mart.
Accident-prone stretches
The Pimpri grade separator has got damaged due to the frequent incidents of vehicles brushing against its slab.
The separator is not designed for heavy vehicles as the height is less, but the quantum of heavy vehicles plying on the Mumbai-Pune national highway is so high that many ply through it.
PCMC engineering department spokesperson Shirish Pordedi said, “The top portion of the grade separator has got damaged due to the heavy vehicles ramming against it. However, it will not make any impact on the structure. It is a repairable damage.”
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has put signboards and barricades prohibiting entry of vehicles having height of more than 4.5 metre inside the grade separators. Still, heavy vehicles continue to enter it.
Vehicle mishaps are not a new thing in the grade separators in twin township as all the three grade separators Pimpri, Akurdi and Chinchwad often witness accidents due to the plying of heavy vehicles. Last year, two persons were killed and three others were injured after a truck hit the top of the Pimpri grade separator.
Civic apathy to blame for ‘deadly’ potholes
The potholes in the grade separators located on the 13-km stretch from Dapodi to Nigdi have made them virtually death tracks. However, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is yet to repair the roads.
Regular commuters on the stretch said that it gets extremely difficult for them to drive on the highway during monsoon as water gets logged in the grade separators, thanks to the potholes.
There are three grade separators in Akurdi, Chinchwad and Pimpri on this stretch and two flyovers in Nigdi and Phugewadi.
PCMC’s engineering department officials assured that the civic body will carry out the repairs immediately after the rains subside.
The civic officials added that due to incessant rains over the past few days, they are facing problems in carrying out the repair works on the stretches.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}