Kamal Ghorui
Navi Mumbai: The diversion of around 70% of light motor vehicles to the connecting link, also known as the missing link, of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway did away with traffic jams on the Borghat section over the last 10 days, officials said.Only 30% of heavy motor vehicles moved on the ghat section during this period, resulting in no clogging, and no mishap was reported on the ghat section in the last 10 days. No HMV movement was allowed on the recently opened connecting link.The 19.84-km Khopoli (Raigad)-to-Kusgaon (Pune) linking stretch of the expressway was commissioned on May 1 this year. The Rs 6,700 crore project, with no elevations and slopes, reduced the distance between Mumbai and Pune by 6 km and lessened travel time by around 30 minutes.The stretch had eight lanes over 5.86 km instead of six lanes. The Borghat section elevation on the Pune-bound carriageway was known for speed reduction and clogging, while the slope portion on the Mumbai-bound carriageway was considered risky, with a number of mishaps reported after drivers lost control. HMVs were a concern on both carriageways, and the link served as a troubleshooter, officials said.The link work stretched over seven years and was started in 2019 by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. The expressway stretch saw 1.5 lakh vehicles per day, and traffic jams were regular at Lonavala and Khandala. The link bypassed these critical spots.The highway safety patrol, Borghat unit assistant police inspector, Swapnil Patil, said, “There is 70% shifting of vehicles made to the newly opened link from the earlier Borghat section of the Eway. Only HMVs move on the earlier stretch, which accounts for the remaining 30%. There will be hardly any traffic jam to be experienced on this stretch of the Eway.”In the last 10 days, no major accident was reported on the link as well as on the ghat section. Officials said HMVs got more space to move easily on the earlier stretch, while LMVs, mostly cars, received a plain surface on the link, reducing engine heating. The highway safety patrol staffers also got relief from being mostly engaged in rescue operations.
