’High way’ on Expressway breaks down vehicles: cops

Police say heavy vehicles go kaput at Amrutanjan Bridge near Khandala as they find it difficult to negotiate the steep incline, and this in turn causes traffic congestion that stretches for kilometres

'High way' on Expressway breaks down vehicles: cops

High impediment: Traffic police tow away the Mumbai-bound trailer
that collided on the divider near Amrutanjan Bridge early last
morning, blocking traffic on the Expressway for hours. Pic/Vishal Suresh

Yesterday, a trailer on the Mumbai-bound lane met with an accident when its steering rod broke off leading to a collision with the divider near the Amrutanjan Bridge early morning today. The traffic congestion that ensued lasted till 7 pm and caused traffic hold-ups stretching to almost 2 km. The truck was later pulled to a safe spot by the crane and the traffic situation improved by around 7pm.

No reliable cranes
Traffic officer Kirtikumar Devare from the Khandala Traffic Aid Post (TAP), said that trucks carrying heavy loads, strain their engine when they try to negotiate the steep ascent. As a result, the engine breaks down. Most of the trucks that have broken down are the ones that transport iron, said Devare.

"What worsens the situation is that Ideal Road Builders (IRB), the contractors for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway do not have powerful cranes to clear away the broken down trucks. Their cranes are meant for light vehicles and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). We then have to order cranes from private operators which take time to arrive and the traffic condition deteriorates."

Police Sub Inspector S Bhosale of the Borghat TAP said they often relied on an old police crane at the station during such situations. "It is an old dilapidated machine which requires constant repairs but still serves us good," said Bhosale.u00a0Since the start of this year, there have been three incidents where trucks have broken down in the middle of the night causing traffic snarls until morning.

A week ago, a truck carrying iron coils broke down near the bridge at 1.30am and the ensuing traffic congestion lasted till 6.30am on the Pune-bound lane. A similar incident on May 3 around the same time caused traffic jam that lasted till 4.30am.

A private crane was ordered which then pulled and parked it at a non-obstructive side. On April 28, another container with iron coils broke down leading to traffic jam from 3.30 am to 8.30 am.

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