Low Divider on Pune-Solapur Highway Sparks Safety Concerns, Hundreds of Lives Lost

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Pune : The low-height divider built by the Highways Department on the Pune-Solapur National Highway has become a major safety hazard, leading to frequent accidents and the loss of hundreds of lives. The divider, which stands at less than one foot instead of the recommended two to two and a half feet, allows speeding vehicles to easily cross into the opposite lane, often with tragic consequences.

The expansion of the Pune-Solapur National Highway into a four-lane road in 2013 reduced traffic congestion and improved travel comfort for vehicle owners. However, the decision to keep the divider’s height significantly lower than necessary has proven fatal. With heavy goods vehicles and other high-speed traffic using the highway, the risk of accidents has soared. Vehicles losing control or involved in crashes frequently cross the divider, causing head-on collisions.

Between Hadapsar and Bhigwan, numerous accidents have occurred over the past decade due to the inadequate divider height. In a recent incident near Sahajpur village, a grandmother and her five-year-old granddaughter lost their lives when an unidentified vehicle hit their two-wheeler after crossing the divider. Similarly, in 2019, nine young friends from Yavat in Daund taluka were killed when a car crossed the divider near Loni Kalbhor.

Despite these tragedies, the Roads Department has not taken corrective action. Baramati MP Supriya Sule had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha in 2019, urging the government to increase the divider’s height, but no steps have been taken in the five years since. Frustrated citizens are now questioning how many more lives must be lost before the authorities act. There is a growing demand from vehicle owners and citizens alike for immediate action to raise the divider’s height and prevent further loss of life.

“The highway divider should be at least two and a half feet high, but the current height is dangerously low, ranging from half a foot to one and a half feet. This negligence is directly responsible for the constant accidents. Officials must be held accountable”.
Dattatray Dadar, Pune District President, Slum Protection Team

 

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