Pune, 23 June 2025: The speed limit for heavy vehicles on the Bhor Ghat (Khandala Ghat) stretch of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway may soon go up from 40 kmph to 45-50 kmph. Transport authorities and transporters are discussing this change after many bus and truck operators complained that the current speed limit is too low and causes more problems than it solves.

This important 10-km ghat section lies between Lonavala in Pune and Khalapur in Raigad. At present, cars can run at 60 kmph here and 100 kmph on the rest of the expressway, while heavy vehicles must stick to 40 kmph in the ghat and 80 kmph elsewhere.

Recently, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), highway police, state transport officials, and transporters did a joint survey to check if the speed limit can be revised. Many drivers and experts said that driving too slowly on this steep slope causes brake failure, wastes fuel, increases maintenance costs, and creates traffic jams on the downhill side.

With the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and speed-monitoring cameras in place, many bus and truck drivers are getting e-challans. A single over-speeding fine is ₹2,000 and repeat violations cost even more.

Transport unions have been asking for a practical speed limit for a long time. Officials are said to be in favour of the proposal, but a final decision will be made after a review meeting by the highway police.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first access-controlled expressway, opened in 2002 and is named after former chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan. In 2024, the expressway recorded 191 accidents, with many mishaps on the Bhor Ghat stretch involving heavy vehicles navigating the steep descent.