[neoonwheels]

I am travelling on EWay since last 5 years now. The most disgusting thing is that many truck's dont have working taillights. I think at least at night, there should be regular traffic police at tolls to check if the tail lights are working on not and then fine heavily to these maniacs. I had horror experience when I was travelling at around 100 in the first lane and suddenly I saw a lorry travelling around 60 in the first lane without any tail light (The headlight of your car will only work for few hundred meters). It was scary and I felt like hitting the driver hard.

[sumitmitra]

I use the Expressway every week and would like to share my two bits based on my experience and what I see around and the news I read of the accidents on the expressway.
The majority of the accidents on the expressway can be put in 2 broad categories
1) Inexperienced / out station drivers driving on the expressway late at night - Many of the news items we read of fatal accidents on the expressway is about a car filled with people from one of the rural areas around Pune going or returning from a function. Also a vast majority of these accidents happen between 1 AM - 4 AM, which is a time when drivers tend to be drowsy
2) Overloaded trucks - When going from Pune to Mumbai the inclines on the expressway are quite steep and there are a fewsharp turns, which the truck drivers sometimes misjudge. The problem is compounded by poor quality of tyres, inexperienced drivers (or cleaners) driving the vehicles, truck overloading and poor truck maintenance.

As stated by someone else in an earlier post, I feel that the expressway (and highway driving in general) can be made much safer by ensuring that all Commercial Vehicles have their lights working at night. It is shocking that almost 90% of the Commercial Vehicles seem to have no working tail lamps and they suddenly come up in front of you, especially during the rains, where the visibility is significantly reduced.
I think it would be easy for the police to check all trucks at the toll gate and not allow them to proceed until their tail lights a working. An electrician should be available on hand to get the lights working for a nominal charge.

There are many regular drivers on the expressway (such as myself) and you can easily make out who is a regular, by the way he drives. Almost all regular drivers will signal when overtaking, show indicators and move to the middle lane to allow a faster vehicle to pass.

I have driven on many roads in India and without doubt the Mumbai - Pune expressway is the best driving experience having a combination of fantastic straights and nice tight curves along with a steep gradients, all in a space of 93 kms.

[shipnil]

Frequent users of MPEW, which fuel station do you use regularly, the HP ones or the Indian Oil one? Also, I see one run by BP but it looks like it is not operational. Is it the case?

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Frequent users of MPEW, which fuel station do you use regularly, the HP ones or the Indian Oil one? Also, I see one run by BP but it looks like it is not operational. Is it the case?

Both are good enough - although the HP sees close to 3-4 times of the traffic the Indian Oil sees (got this info from the attendant at the IOL pump).

[kiren]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Frequent users of MPEW, which fuel station do you use regularly, the HP ones or the Indian Oil one? Also, I see one run by BP but it looks like it is not operational. Is it the case?

I try to avoid the HP pump @ Khalapur as it has more traffic. I prefer BP at Somatane or IOC @ Khalapur. BP @ Somatane is operational.

[apachelongbow]

Its all good and fine that we want higher speed limits on the expressway, say 120kmph. People have rightly quoted that the initial planned speed limit was 120kmph, I am sure the road is tested and rated for 120kmph.

However how many vehicles which use the expressway regularly are capable of sustaining 120kmph for even 10kms?
Lets see
a) Buses, may be a Volvo or a Mercedes bus. Surely the rattletrap ST buses max out at 80kmph, even with a heavy tailwind.
b) Trucks, again the Volvos and the new Navistar and Tata maybe. The older lot of trucks again will never dream of 100kmph, leave alone 120
c) Most of the older cars, with degraded tyres, puny engined vehicles like the trax/sumo or bolero taxis cant make the grade
d) Heavy vehicles, trailer trucks, mini trucks such as the ace etc cant make 120kmph.

Since the expressway is meant to generate revenue, we cant ban trucks or slow moving vehicles, its afterall not a speedway for sports cars!!

This expressway and all the completed ones the golden quadrilateral, NSEW corridor etc are meant for efficient movement of goods and services. If a trucker can safely do 700kms in a day, using these roads, then it is a success. Speed boys can stick to the Kari speedway or the Budh circuit.

[nishantbhatia84]

Last weekend I traveled on the Mumbai - Pune expressway at had an amazing experience. Almost 90% of the vehicles were doing a decent 100-120kph and used to promptly give way to the faster vehicles. Exceptions are always there, I found just 2, both Altos, ripping @ 120kph and refusing to give way! I felt sorry for the cars!
I feel that the Mumbai - Pune expressway is absolutely safe and all of the accidents are purely attributed to either poor vehicle condition or maniac drivers!

[Achilless]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Frequent users of MPEW, which fuel station do you use regularly, the HP ones or the Indian Oil one? Also, I see one run by BP but it looks like it is not operational. Is it the case?

Shipnil i would recommend Indian oil while returning to mumbai. Which has exceptional fuel quality. If i fill diesel there i get FE around 23-24kmpl in my swift dzire. Rest in mumbai i get FE around 15-16 in traffic and 17-18 on highways. Even while going to pune after 1st toll HP seems to be good. But FE 20-21kmpl.

[arup.misra]

I have regularly used the MPEW. Its one of the best roads in India to drive, however I'm not too gungho about driving here in the night. In one of my recent trips while returning around 1am, I had a very close shave.

I was driving at about 70-80kmph as it was absolutely pouring outside. I had upgraded my stock headlamps to HID so visibility wasn't bad. Traffic was light and we just crossed the food court after toll plaza towards Mumbai. All of a sudden a large trailor from the left darted into the middle lane, narrowly missing my front end, without any indicators or even honking. Infact he didn't have functioning headlights. Thankfully I could break hard just in time. Lucky for me I didn't have traffic on my tail.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by nishantbhatia84

I feel that the Mumbai - Pune expressway is absolutely safe and all of the accidents are purely attributed to either poor vehicle condition or maniac drivers!

The expressway road surface is slowly becoming smoother than what it used. I have been using the expressway for the last 10 years and can only see it deteriorating. I agree, bad drivers and vehicle conditions can be at fault but many a times, the buttery smooth surface that doesn't have any grip left is also at fault.

[invidious]

I wonder if someone with contacts can resolve this issue and bring it to the notice of the concerned authorities -

1. There is no formal exit for Pavna. So people who wish to go to Pavna from the Expressway should ideally take the Lonavala exit. But what happens is that they take a shortcut from the Expressway via a Police chowky atop a hillock. They bribe the cops there 100 bucks. While exiting, this is relatively risk free. However, it is a problem when they use the same exit to cut across to the other side. Can't just build a new exit on either side?

2. When people drive on high beams at night it creates a blind zone. Why can't they put up signs all across the expressway dissuading people from driving on high beam?

[Mortis]

I also just did an MPEW trip last week and have to concur that for the most part private cars are disciplined on the expressway, except for the usual high beam blinders on the opposite side which can be pretty dangerous at times.
I too feel that the commercial vehicles are the biggest menace due to the lack of lights at night, sudden lane changes as well as travelling sometimes at a snails pace which can be quite hazardous when going around a blind corner.
The worst part about the expressway is wehn you reach Mumbai and are instantly stuck in a traffic jam !

[moralfibre]

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