Pune: Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and highway police will step up enforcement of the ban on heavy vehicles on the Connecting Link with increased night patrolling, additional personnel and stricter checks at entry points.The move came after a fatal accident on Friday, when a heavy vehicle illegally entered the stretch, senior MSRDC officials told TOI on Saturday after a District Road Safety Committee meeting on Friday, chaired by Pune collector Jitendra Dudi. It happened despite 621 heavy vehicles being penalised in the past three months for violating the restriction.MSRDC officials on Saturday said cases were being registered under Sections 122/177 of the Motor Vehicles Act against prohibited vehicles at the entry and exit points of the Connecting Link on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. “The 621 vehicles were penalised through e-Challan, with Rs 7.38 lakh collected in fines,” said an MSRDC official.Officials said there was discussion on increasing the penalty and even registering FIRs against owners of heavy vehicles with the police department. “Stringent actions would be enforced post this incident,” the official added.The restriction of heavy vehicles along the Connecting Link has helped improve traffic movement on the new corridor, the officials said, adding that the govt is not keen on allowing heavy vehicles on the new stretch under the present arrangement. “There was no consideration to allow heavy vehicles at least for now,” the official said.When the 13.3km Connecting Link (formerly Missing Link) opened on May 1, the restriction on heavy vehicles was to be evaluated after six months. However, MSRDC officials said the experience of the past three months has shown that keeping heavy vehicles on the old ghat route has helped improve the movement of other vehicles.The traffic data reflected the scale of movement on the two routes. In the past three months, around 53.43 lakh light motor vehicles and 2.63 lakh buses used the Connecting Link, while around 18.27 lakh goods vehicles used the Bhor Ghat section.Commercial vehicle movement through the ghat section remained around 6.08 lakh per month, or approximately 20,000 a day, officials added after a recent assessment. The Connecting Link is currently restricted to only light motor vehicles, cars, SUVs, buses, minibuses and other passenger vehicles. Goods trucks, trailers and other heavy and oversized vehicles are required to use the existing ghat section.After an accident on Friday, where an SUV crashed into a truck, which illegally entered the stretch, API Swapnil Patil of the Bhor Ghat section told TOI, “Heavy vehicles are not permitted on the stretch. After the accident, we will step up enforcement, night patrolling and checks on the Connecting Link. We will deploy more personnel to ensure that these heavy vehicles do not enter this stretch.”Heavy vehicles account for 30% of trafficAround 70% of traffic on the expressway comprises light vehicles and buses, while heavy and oversize vehicles account for around 30%. Heavy vehicles have traditionally contributed to congestion in the ghat section, slowing smaller vehicles and increasing the risk of minor accidents.Officials also said CCTV monitoring and physical checks will be strengthened to deal with such violations.BOX | WHAT WILL CHANGE AFTER THE ACCIDENT?##Increased night patrolling on the Connecting Link##More deployment at entry and exit points##Stricter checks to prevent heavy vehicles from entering##Higher penalties for violationsPAST 3 MONTHS AT A GLANCE621 — Heavy vehicles penalisedRs 7.38 lakh — Fines imposed through e-Challan18.27 lakh — Goods vehicles used Bhor Ghat53.43 lakh — LMVs through Connecting Link2.63 lakh — Buses through Connecting Link6.08 lakh/month — Commercial vehicles through Bhor ghat~20,000/day — Commercial vehicles through Bhor ghat
