Mumbai All vehicles crossing toll nakas along the Mumbai-Pune expressway will have to strictly follow the seat belt rule. A team of IRB Infra (private company) volunteers are stationed at various toll nakas to allow vehicles only if the driver and front passenger seat occupants are wearing seatbelts.
Moreover, all state transport buses have been asked to strictly follow rules while driving on the highways and expressways across the state.
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Wednesday conducted a meeting with Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Public Works Department, traffic police and highway police along with other social organisations to partake in the awareness and counselling drives along Mumbai-Pune Expressway and National Highway 48 or Old Pune Highway.
MSRDC has appointed IRB 30 volunteers each at Khalapur, Shendung, Varsoli, Somatane and Urse toll nakas. “They will ensure that passengers in every vehicle crossing the toll naka is wearing a seat belt. This includes those on the passenger seat as it has been noted that they are the ones often defaulting. This will be implemented in buses that provide seatbelts wherein passengers will also have to mandatorily wear seat belts. The impact of accidents is more when seatbelts are not worn,” said Bharat Kalaskar, RTO officer, Tardeo Officer.
Moreover, a special team has been appointed by the RTO in the 15km distance between Lonavla and Khalapur. This stretch is a slope where many end up putting their vehicles on neutral gear and drive to save fuel.
“Putting heavy vehicles or tourist buses on neutral gear often causes accidents on such a stretch. We have set up a special team to highlight the impact to the drivers and will soon take support from automobile manufacturers to give a detailed technical awareness drive for those driving on this stretch,” added Kalaskar.
As MSRTC buses travel across the state and on various highways and expressway a circular was released making respective depot heads responsible if any driver fails to follow rules such as not changing lanes on highways, driving buses on the left side and following highway speed restrictions. In a circular issued on Wednesday the drivers have been asked to follow these rules on all highways and expressway across the state.
“All depots have to be alerted to take individual signatures of drivers after informing them about these rules. If any driver is found flouting rules the depot in charge will also be held responsible for it and strict action taken against them. These measures are taken to ensure road discipline is followed,” said a senior officer from MSRTC.
According to the circular, MSRTC has asked all bus drivers to stick to left side of the road. Follow lane discipline and speed restriction on highways and expressway. Moreover, buses that have seat belts for driver should be used while driving and the driver should ask passengers also to follow the same. The bus drivers have also been asked to park only at designated parking places and not at random locations along highways.
According to the RTO more than 80% accidents occur due to driver negligence, irresponsible behaviour and disobeying traffic rules. RTO has identified black spots and accident-prone areas on highways where they will put up posters of accidents that have taken place to alert those driving to maintain speed from December 1 onwards for a six-month long drive.