With highway hypnosis and overspeeding emerging as the leading causes of accidents on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, authorities are planning a series of interventions, including the construction of restroom facilities at every 50 km instead of the existing 200-km intervals, to encourage drivers to take periodic breaks and avoid fatigue. Officials are also considering the use of colourful artwork and visual installations along dividers and roadside stretches to keep motorists alert during long-distance travel.
The proposals were discussed during a meeting held last week with officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Superintendent of Police Lohit Matani said on Monday. Speaking to reporters at the Regional Police Training School, Matani highlighted a sharp 82.8% increase in fatalities on the Samruddhi Expressway in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Matani, who had earlier co-initiated ‘Operation U-Turn’ in Nagpur city, said similar measures would now be implemented across national and state highways under his jurisdiction. The objective, he said, is to reduce fatal road accidents by 15% in accordance with directions issued by Director General of Police Sadanand Date.
The Highway Safety Police have identified five priority areas for enforcement — special drives against drunk driving using breath analysers, strict action against helmet-rule violations, speed monitoring through speed guns and e-challans, action against unsafe roadside parking, and development of an integrated dashboard linking all road-related agencies.
According to the Samruddhi Expressway Risk Profile, fatalities fell from 80 in 2023 to 35 in 2024 following the implementation of speed-control measures. However, the number rose to 64 in 2025. The Malkapur and Amani sectors together accounted for over 60% of all deaths recorded on the expressway during the year. Malkapur reported 23 fatalities, followed by Amani (16), Jam (12), Dhamangaon (9) and Khursapar (4).
Across the Nagpur division, highway fatalities declined from 971 in 2023 to 657 in 2025. However, despite a reduction in overall accidents, 304 people lost their lives in highway crashes during the first five months of 2026. Appealing to motorists to adopt safer driving practices, Matani urged them to obey traffic rules, wear helmets and seatbelts, maintain speed limits and refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol.
He also called upon citizens to volunteer as ‘Mritunjaya Doots’ or Good Samaritans and help ensure accident victims receive prompt medical assistance during the crucial golden hour. “Govt promises a reward of 1.5 lakh to Good Samaritan helping accident victims,” Matani said.
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