15 High-Risk Spots on Old Mumbai-Pune Highway Get a Life-Saving Makeover

The Zero Fatality Corridor programme targets engineering, enforcement, and emergency response to drastically reduce deaths on one of Maharashtra’s most dangerous stretches.

Fifteen fatality-prone locations along the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48) have undergone major safety upgrades as part of a joint initiative led by SaveLIFE Foundation. The project is in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Maharashtra Highway Police, and Highways Infrastructure Trust under the Zero Fatality Corridor (ZFC) programme, a mission-driven effort to prevent road crash deaths through a systemic and scientific approach.

This initiative, supported through the CSR efforts of Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd, was carried out under SaveLIFE Foundation’s Zero Fatality Corridor program. The project involved identifying and addressing high-risk zones, implementing targeted interventions, and strengthening… pic.twitter.com/evQWniZSIl

— SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF) (@savelifeindia) April 14, 2025

In the previous year, this stretch recorded 88 fatalities, underlining the urgent need for intervention. The initiative began with a detailed road safety audit using field surveys and data analysis to identify high-risk zones. Based on these insights, specific engineering solutions—referred to as “safety treatments”, were applied. These include:

• Speed-calming measures
• Clearer signage
• Improved pedestrian crossings
• Better road visibility
• Redesigned intersections

Dr Zafar Khan, Executive Director and Joint CEO, Highways Infrastructure Trust, said:
“Maharashtra recorded over 15,000 road crash fatalities last year, the majority on highways—a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic interventions. We aim to reduce fatalities on this corridor by 20 to 30 percent over the coming years. Road safety must be engineered by design.”

Piyush Tewari, Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation, added:
“This initiative demonstrates what is possible when data, engineering, and partnerships come together for road safety.”

In addition to engineering fixes, enforcement strategies have been implemented to improve compliance with traffic rules and encourage safer driving habits.

Multi-agency collaboration continues to show strong results on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

The broader Zero Fatality Corridor initiative, launched in 2016 in response to soaring accident rates on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, has yielded dramatic results. Fatalities have declined by 58.3% since the project began. In 2022 alone, there was a further 32% reduction in road deaths.

The expressway, India’s first, operational since 2002 had recorded 151 deaths in 2016, averaging about 3 deaths every 2 kilometers. Today, the rate has dropped to 1 death per 2 kilometers, a testament to the programme’s impact.

Key outcomes of the initiative include:

• Over 3,500 engineering issues addressed
• 176 km of crash barriers installed
• 200 km of tactile edge lines and 3 km of tactile shoulder lines implemented
• Emergency median opening at km 26.6
• Black spot mitigation at km 82.7

The programme is backed by a coalition that includes MSRDC, Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Department, Maharashtra Highway Police, SaveLIFE Foundation, and SBI General Insurance.