03 August,2015 11:02 PM IST | | A Correspondent
In order to prevent further incidents of landslides it has been decided to increase the length of the present tunnel of Adoshi on the Mumbai Pune Expressway by 100 meters.
In order to prevent further incidents of landslides it has been decided to increase the length of the present tunnel of Adoshi on the Mumbai Pune Expressway by 100 meters.
The decision to increase the length of the tunnel was taken in the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) meeting that took place on Monday. The length of Lonavala tunnel on expressway will also be increased.
Meanwhile, nearly two weeks after a landslide on the E-way between Khandala and Khopoli, which killed two and injured three others, MSRDC ended the work of removing loose boulders from the stretch on Friday night.
The boulders, some as tall as 20-storey buildings, were cleared using a 70-metre high crane, hired from a private contractor.
However, on Saturday afternoon, another landslide occurred near the Khandala tunnel.
According to MSRDC officials, it took place at 5pm and incoming traffic from Pune was diverted via NH4. Light vehicles were diverted to the old Mumbai-Pune highway till midnight, leaving only heavy vehicles to ply on the Expressway.
MLA Eknath Shinde visited the site of the accident more than a week ago, following which it was decided that the Expressway would close.
Acting on suggestions from IIT-Bombay and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), the MSRDC will now begin restoration on dangerous locations which will identify after a geological survey along the stretch that passes from the ghat section and hills. Steel tensile wire nets fitted with bolts into the rocks will be installed horizontally, strong enough to hold back rocks that weigh more than 1,000 kg.
