MSRDC is having a blast on Pune-Mumbai Expressway

Micro blasting being conducted on ghat section near Adoshi tunnel

Micro blasting being conducted on ghat section near Adoshi tunnel

Plan to drive down the Mumbai Pune Expressway this week? Watch your wheels, as the MSRDC is conducting a micro-blasting activity on the ghat section to prevent loose rocks from damaging vehicles.

Breaking news: Traffic was halted on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway near Khandala after MSRDC officials blasted stones from the hillock to prevent them from falling on the vehicles. Pic/ Atul Marwadi

Traffic on the 92-km stretch is cleared for 15 minutes every two hours, to clear the debris. The work will continue until next week.

V D Sardeshmukh,u00a0 Executive engineer ofu00a0 MSRDC, said, "The micro blasting is being carried on the hill region near the Adoshi tunnel and two out of the six lanes have been closed."

The controlled explosions start at 10 am and go on till 5 pm, except on the weekend. Clearing of loose boulders on the hills adjacent to Adoshi tunnel near Bhor Ghat in Khandala began on July 7.

Aniket Kulkarni, a frequent traveller on the expressway, said, "Preferably I avoid traveling on the highway during the monsoon, as there are high chances of traffic jams."

Sardeshmukh said, "We advise motorists to be careful while taking a turn on the ghat section and near the tunnel. The chances of rocks falling are high during monsoons."