Dadaji Bhuse, Minister for Public Works (Public Undertakings), inspected Samruddhi Mahamarg on Friday, interacted with road-users and also keenly observed the implementation of vehicle checking drive. During a meeting with officials, he hinted at ‘some policy decisions’ to be taken soon, and asked them to strive to make the expressway ‘accident-free’. After arrival at Nagpur, Bhuse proceeded straight to ‘Zero Point’ of Samruddhi Mahamarg and also visited Waifal toll plaza. Senior officers of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) accompanying him briefed him about control room operations, fire extinguishing equipment available, rapid response team, inspection of vehicles at toll plaza, counselling centre for road-users, ambulance operations, etc.

 

The officers said that the ambulance reached the site of accident within 15 minutes of receiving information about any mishap. Efforts are on to reduce the response time of ambulance to 10-12 minutes, said the officers. During his visit, Bhuse also interacted with road-users. He assured them that the State Government accorded top priority to safety of road-users and was taking necessary steps in this regard. He spoke to Bajirao Gawale and his family members, who had come from Kolhapur, and collected their feedback of travel on Samruddhi Mahamarg. He urged the road-users to follow speed limit and to follow road safety rules.

 

As one road-user was being counselled by the staffers regarding overspeeding, Bhuse urged him also to follow speed limit. Vivek Bhimanwar, Transport Commissioner; A B Gaikwad, Sanjay Yadav, S S Murde, Joint Managing Director of MSRDC; Bharat Bastewad, General Manager; S K Surwase, Chief Engineer; Nishikant Sukey, Suresh Abhang, Bhushan Malkhandale, and other senior officers of Transport Department and MSRDC were present prominently on this occasion. Earlier, on his arrival at the airport, Bhuse also chaired a meeting with senior officers. The officers presented to him the analysis of the accidents that had occurred on Samruddhi Mahamarg. Bhuse asked them to strive to make the expressway ‘accident-free’. Around 20,000 vehicles are plying on the expressway daily. Positive aspects of the expressway should also be highlighted to the people. “After today’s inspection of the expressway, some policy decisions will be taken. Once the decisions are finalised, they should be implemented in right earnest,” the minister told the officials. He asked them to implement short-term and long-term measures to make the travel on Samruddhi Mahamarg safer. Once the expressway work is completed up to Mumbai, it will give a boost to 15 districts of Maharashtra, he said. He also reiterated that Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister; and Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, were committed to making the ambitious project a big success in development story of the State.