New safety drive targets zero crash fatalities on Mumbai-Pune Expressway by 2020

As part of the Zero Fatality Corridor (ZFC) initiative, SaveLife Foundation, in association with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), has launched a campaign on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPEW) about the dangers of speeding.

The ‘Safety Under 80’ initiative, which talks about the dangers of speeding, is expected to reduce the number of road crash fatalities on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway from an annual average of 130 to zero by the year 2020. It is an attempt to build a replicable model for road safety that can be implemented across any road in the country.

The campaign was officially launched by Radheshyam Mopalwar IAS, vice-chairman and managing director, MSRDC in the presence of Captain Abhay Lambhate, Head, Administration and Security (Auto and Farm Division, Mahindra) and Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO, SaveLife Foundation, at the Khalapur Food Plaza.

Radheshyam Mopalwar said, “People need to know that speeding is dangerous. As part of MSRDC’s endeavour to ensure safety of commuters on the MPEW, we have under the Zero Fatality Corridor initiative, made significant progress on all fronts. This campaign which targets speeding is part of that continuing effort and aims to make the expressway safe for all.” 

Vijay Nair, vice-president – Admin & CSR (AFS) & Employee Relations (Auto Division), M&M, said, “We have initiated several programs across the country, and believe that a project like the ZFC has a far- reaching impact.”

Talking about the campaign, Saji Cherian, director, Operations of SaveLife Foundation, said, “Although the speed limit on the expressway is 80kph, we know that adherence to it is quite minimal. Through this campaign, we want to remind the commuters that speeding has serious consequences and encourage people to be more responsible while driving.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), speeding is one of the five key risk factors that lead to road crash deaths and injuries. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and the severity of the consequences of the crash. With the maximum speed limit on the MPEW being 80kph, the campaign’s key objective is to educate motorists on the expressway about the possible tragic outcomes of exceeding that limit. The shocking consequences of speeding are exhibited through dramatic outdoor hoardings and installation of crashed cars on both the corridors of the MPEW.

Related: Mumbai-Pune Expressway sees growing number of accidents