Contractor Booked for Expressway Safety Negligence in Maharashtra

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A case has been registered against a contractor after an incident where three vehicles developed punctures during maintenance work on the Samruddhi Expressway, Maharashtra. The case was filed on Thursday night at Daulatabad police station under sections 324 (B) and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The contractor, identified as Satyanarayan, allegedly failed to ensure proper safety measures during grouting work on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway this week.

Incident Details: The grouting work was conducted on the Maliwada stretch of the expressway, aiming to strengthen a bridge. However, the contractor is accused of not placing adequate barricades and reflectors, posing a risk to motorists. On Wednesday, three vehicles suffered punctures due to these inadequacies, creating potentially dangerous road conditions.

MSRDC Statement: In response to the incident, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) clarified that the aluminium nozzles seen on viral videos, suspected by drivers as nails, were temporarily used for minor crack repairs on the stretch officially called Hindu Hrudaysmarat Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg. Despite this explanation, MSRDC acknowledged the contractor's failure in implementing necessary safety precautions.

Details captured in night-time videos by travelers highlighted the presence of sharp objects embedded on the road surface. The incident has raised safety concerns about maintenance practices on high-speed expressways.