Two drivers killed in collision between trucks in Maharashtra’s Nagpur

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A collision between two trucks left two drivers dead in Nagpur district of Maharashtra on Monday, police said. The incident occurred on the national highway No 7 near Ghotitok village, around 60 km from Nagpur city, newswire PTI reported.

"A speeding tipper truck collided head-on with another truck, killing drivers Rupesh Dhurve (22) and Raju Kuthe (40) of both vehicles," he added.

Police have registered a case under sections 279 (Rash driving) and 304-A (Causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Monday said it will operate four air-conditioned "Shivneri" buses between Mumbai and Pune via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) on an experimental basis from February 20.

The move will cut the travel time between the two cities by one hour, while the fare for the "Shivneri" buses will remain unchanged, the transport body stated in a release.

As per the release, the "Shivneri" buses on the Pune railway station-Mantralaya and Swargate-Dadar routes, departing at 6.30 am and 7 am respectively, will reach Mumbai via MTHL and will be operated the same way on the return journey as well.

The buses will be plied via Panvel, Nhava-Sheva and Sewri to access the MTHL, the longest sea bridge in the country.

The bridge originates from Sewri in Mumbai and terminates at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka of Raigad district.

MSRTC is one of the largest public transport bodies in the country, with a fleet of around 15,000 buses. More than 60 lakh passengers travel in these buses every day.

Earlier a report said that the recently inaugurated Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) sea bridge has recorded traffic of over 8 lakh vehicles as of now, as per the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), reported news agency ANI.

The 21.8 km-long country's longest Mumbai Trans Harbour Link between Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai and Sewri in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 and opened for the public on the very next day.

MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee, speaking to ANI, said that the vehicles passing without toll on the bridge have become a matter of serious concern. (With inputs from agencies)