Samruddhi Expressway: Artificial flowers and boulders to help prevent accidents

By: Pune Pulse

December 7, 2023

Pune: In order to reduce accidents by countering the issue of ‘road hypnotism’ artificial flowers along with artificial boulders will be installed on the route from Vaijapur to Sindkhedaraja on the Samruddhi Expressway.

As per the information, tree planting activities have also commenced since the previous year. Since its launch on December 11, 2022, the Samruddhi Highway has primarily made headlines due to the regular occurrence of accidents. Experts have linked these accidents to the absence of vegetation on either side of the road, leading to the ‘road hypnotism’ experienced by drivers. Given the impracticality of instantly growing natural greenery, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has opted for an artificial remedy.

As part of this effort, various types of sculptures will be installed along the route. It is asserted that this measure will contribute to accident prevention on the highway. Reflectors have been specifically designed to enhance visibility during nighttime travel. Informative boards have been strategically positioned along the highway to aid drivers during night travel. In an effort to combat road hypnotism, rumble strips have been installed, spaced every 15 kilometers at toll plaza entrances. Placing these strips in the gap serves as a warning to the driver. 

Additionally, artificial trees and flowers will be incorporated to further reduce the occurrence of ‘road hypnotism’. The contractor for this project is Ganaraj Developers from Vasmat taluka in Hingoli district. As for the sub-contractor, Meghraj Shelke, a renowned city sculptor, has been appointed to work from Vaijapur to Sindkhed Raja.

Shelke mentioned that the use of artificial flowers and trees will contribute to safer travel, as this experiment aims to prevent accidents. In the span of 11 months, Samruddhi observed 125 accidents. Additionally, it has been 11 months since the inauguration of the first phase of the Samruddhi Highway, covering a distance of 502 km, and the second phase, covering 80 km.

The road was inaugurated seven months ago. Unfortunately, within these 11 months, a total of 1285 accidents have occurred on the highway, resulting in the loss of approximately 125 lives. To address the issue of tire bursts causing accidents, the speed limit was initially set at 150 per hour but later reduced to 120. Furthermore, nitrogen air centers have been established to mitigate such incidents.