The newly constructed Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Nagpur to Shirdi is popping right into a loss of life lure with 358 accidents reported between December 2022 and April this yr, leading to 39 casualties over the five-month interval.
The State Police has attributed the excessive numbers of accidents on the 520-km-long operational stretch of the expressway to freeway hypnosis syndrome, amongst different components.
Accident Statistics
In line with information launched by the State Freeway Police, 143 individuals have been critically injured whereas 236 acquired minor accidents within the complete 358 accidents which have occurred on the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Freeway hypnosis has emerged as the largest reason for accidents on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, accounting for 98 accidents or 27 per cent of the overall 358 accidents.
As per the information, after freeway hypnosis, overspeeding and tyre bursting are the opposite two main causes of accidents on the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Through the five-month interval, the police recorded 68 circumstances of over-speeding, through which 72 individuals have been injured, together with 19 grievously injured.
Equally, 55 accidents on the Samruddhi Freeway occurred because of tyre bust incidents. A collection of accidents are mentioned to have been prompted because of tyres bursting at excessive pace because of which the car overturns inflicting accidents, and at instances casualties.
Demise Figures
Over-speeding constituted the principle site visitors rule violation related to accident-related deaths, accounting for as many as 11 fatalities, the Freeway Police information famous.
Aside from over-speeding, freeway hypnosis and tyre bursting are the opposite two main causes of deaths on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, every resulting in 9 casualties, the information confirmed.
Two deaths resulted from accidents involving automobiles hitting animals and ramming into parked automobiles. The trigger behind the remaining eight deaths continues to be unknown.
Freeway Hypnosis
In line with Healthline, freeway hypnosis, or, white line fever happens whereas driving on an empty stretch of street on the freeway as your thoughts will get bored and whereas watching the street, stays in the identical state for a very long time. The mind goes into autopilot mode. Merely put, an individual retains driving the automobile, he additionally has management over the steering, however he forgets or doesn’t take note of all the pieces that occurs round him.
Consultants say that it’s normally prompted when an individual is driving on a freeway having monotonous surroundings, no site visitors gentle, and sparse site visitors.
On account of steady driving on a monotonous stretch for lengthy hours, the motive force form of get hypnotised and typically lose management and attain a state when there’s a momentary disconnect between the mind and bodys motion. This leads to the motive force dropping management of the car and results in accidents, mentioned Further Director Common of Police (Freeway Site visitors Maharashtra State) Ravindra Singhal.
Course Correction
Motorists travelling on the Samruddhi Expressway are experiencing freeway hypnosis, as there aren’t any hoardings or billboards on the roadsides or accommodations/dhabas on the newly constructed freeway that may distract a drivers thoughts.
The state police have made elaborate plans to place up billboards, signages, posters, message boards alongside the Samruddhi expressway to make sure the drivers are saved engaged by way of optimistic distractions which might not permit them to slide into freeway hypnosis.
Nevertheless, till the time, such hoarding and facilities come up alongside the freeway, the police have determined to implement alternate measures to curb accidents ensuing from motorists experiencing freeway hypnosis.
Among the many measures proposed is the placing up flags at common intervals of each half an hour. This simple but impactful measure is presently being carried out and is scheduled to be accomplished inside per week.
The flags can be of yellow and white colors. Moreover this, reflectors are additionally being put in place to catch the motorists consideration and maintain their brains busy and lively and stop accidents, Singal mentioned.
Additional, a committee led by the RTO, state site visitors police and an NGO have instructed the Maharashtra State Street Growth Company (MSRDC) to color a number of spots and put in place tools that may produce the sound of police siren to maintain drivers alert.
Additionally, placing elevated variety of rumble strips on the freeway is one other efficient intervention which may mitigate hypnosis-related accident. The strips can create a vibration and a rumbling sound to maintain sleepy drivers alert
Samruddhi Hall
Formally named Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, the 701-km-long expressway connects Mumbai and Nagpur.
The expressway connects 10 districts of the state, particularly, Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar and Thane. The street hyperlink is alleged to be a recreation changer, particularly for the states hinterland, as extra investments may be attracted with improved connectivity, thereby producing extra employment alternatives
The mission is the brainchild of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and was conceptualised when he was the chief minister in 2015. At current, commuters use NH-3 (Mumbai-Dhule) and NH-6 (Dhule-Nagpur) to succeed in Nagpur, overlaying a 839 km distance which takes not less than 17 hours. The greenfield expressway, as soon as accomplished, will scale back the journey time between Nagpur and Mumbai to eight hours.
The primary part of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, connecting Nagpur to the temple city of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district overlaying a distance of 520 km, has been in operation since December 2022, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it.
One other 80 km of Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg, between Shirdi and Bharvir village in Igatpuri taluka in Nashik district, might be inaugurated on 26 Might.
The remaining 100-km stretch beneath Part-II between Igatpuri and Vadpe in Thane might be accomplished by finish of this yr or by March subsequent yr.
