Pune: Heavy Vehicles Banned From Entering Lonavla Via Khopoli From Old Highway

Lonavla, 30th July 2022: On the old Mumbai Pune highway, the number of accidents has increased due to heavy vehicles coming to Lonavla city via Khopoli. ‘Me Lonavlakar’ committee’s Dr Kiran Gaikwad, on behalf of the citizens, had requested the chief minister’s office to stop the heavy vehicles. Also, taking note of the fact that the heads of all parties raised this issue in the ‘Rasta Roko’ movement held in Lonavala four months ago, the IRB company has started public awareness by putting up signboards prohibiting the entry of heavy vehicles on the highway coming to Lonavala via Khopoli.

Gaikwad said, “Borghat and Khandala Highway Police should also comply with this order and block the entry of heavy vehicles. Traffic jams and accidents happening in Lonavala city are well known. As the local citizens were inconvenienced by both these problems, they staged a road block protest four months ago and demanded that heavy vehicles be banned from the national highway passing through Lonavala city.”

Gaikwad informed that the Pune District Collector has issued an order in this regard and implemented the ban. Despite this, heavy vehicles pass through Lonavala city many times. The highway police take penal action against such vehicles and let them pass. However, in order to block the entry of these vehicles, it is necessary to deploy police officials at the entry points on both sides of the cities and divert them from the outer route.

He said, “Our aim is not to fine the vehicles, but our role is to stop the vehicles passing through the city and save the citizens from accidents and traffic jams. The systems also need to follow the orders from the higher office.”