Soon, You May See A Change In Vehicle Speed Limits On The Mumbai–Pune Expressway

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), in consultation with the highway police and transport department, is set to revise the heavy-vehicle speed limit on the Bhor Ghat section of the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. Frequent complaints from drivers and transporters regarding safety have prompted a detailed survey, and positive signals towards increasing the limit from 40 to 50 km/h.

Why Raise The Speed Limit On The Mumbai–Pune Expressway Ghat Stretch?

The current 40 km/h cap for heavy vehicles on the steep 10 km Bhor Ghat section has drawn sharp criticism as “unscientific” and impractical. Transport authorities, including State Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, have acknowledged the difficulty drivers face in maintaining such low speeds down a sharp incline, often resulting in brake overheating and potential failure.

A joint MSRDC-highway police-transport survey confirmed that this lower limit often forces drivers to choose between slow crawling or unintentional overspeeding, especially since many vehicles naturally move at 45–47 km/h in second gear.

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Concerns About Safety And Enforcement

With the introduction of an Intelligent Traffic Management System, speed‑monitoring cameras have issued numerous e-challans to heavy vehicles travelling at 43–50 km/h, just beyond the current limit. Drivers report that one in three violations occurs in this 3–10 km/h range, each carrying a minimum ₹2,000 fine for first offences.

Transporters emphasise that increasing the Mumbai–Pune Expressway speed limit to 50 km/h would reduce mechanical strain, avoid brake-related accidents, and cut congestion, aligning the limit more sensibly with the physical demands of driving heavy vehicles downhill.

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What Comes Next?

MSRDC remains responsible for infrastructure, while the highway police will make the ultimate decision on updated speed regulations. According to The Indian Express, the transport department has written several letters to push for the change, and the highway police are expected to convene a meeting shortly to finalise the revised Mumbai–Pune Expressway speed limit.

If approved, the change would apply across the 10‑km Bhor Ghat stretch while maintaining existing limits elsewhere: 60 km/h for cars on the Ghats and up to 100 km/h on plain sections. The expressway, India’s first access-controlled highway, recorded 191 accidents in 2024 alone, many occurring in the Ghat section.

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Raising the speed limit from 40 to 50 km/h for heavy vehicles on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway’s Ghat section addresses genuine operational challenges. The move balances efficiency with safety and could significantly reduce fines and mechanical wear. Approval now lies with the highway police, and transport associations await their final verdict.

Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Nikhil.kawale