21 November,2023 07:24 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
Traffic movement towards Pune, on the Mumbai- Pune Expressway, will be closed from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm today. File pic
While the toll being charged from motorists, raised by Raj Thackeray, is still a topic of discussion, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation will be carrying out a continuous (24/7) videographic traffic count survey for 15 days on the Mumbai Pune Expressway and the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link. "Bids have been invited for carrying out the survey using video cameras," said an official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is one of the country's busiest arterial highways, with a daily vehicular movement of around 60,000 vehicles, with numbers expected to soar further. The ridership on the Bandra Worli Sea Link is more than 30,000 daily.
In its October 14 edition, mid-day carried a report âMumbai: Toll drama results in joint audit' stating that the state government, seeking a month's time to study and redress MNS President Raj Thackeray's grievances related to toll collection, promised to set up CCTV cameras to keep track of vehicles at the city's five entry points. The MNS, meanwhile, said that it would set up cameras of its own at the toll booths.
The stste government will also ensure that the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) conducts audits of flyovers and underpasses that are being maintained by toll companies.
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15 Days
Duration of the survey
In order to carry out the erection of a gantry on the Mumbai Pune Expressway today, traffic for all types of vehicles going from Mumbai towards Pune will be completely closed from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm.
During the block period, light vehicles going from Mumbai to Pune will be diverted from Shedung Phata via Shingroba Ghat on the Old Mumbai Pune Highway to Magic Point and then re-routed to the Pune channel of the expressway. Traffic movement should resume by 2.00 pm, after completion of the work.
If motorists face problems during the period, they should contact the Mumbai Pune Expressway Control Room at 9822498224 or the Highway Police Department at 9833498334 for assistance.