Mumbai - Pune Expressway Experience By TAI'ns

[Tornado]

Recently, I saw a Lane in the toll booth labeled as 'ETC Lane ', what's that?

While coming back from Mumbai, I stopped at khalapur toll booth food mall, to my surprise it was closed including all the stalls @11:35 pm. I had no option but to head toward Urse toll booth food mall near pune. To my horror, it was also closed fully @12:30 am. The McDonald's there had a board indicating that it's open 24×7!
Reason :Election code of conduct.

I was empty stomach whole day As I had attended a funeral on that day. Finally got food at 3am at home.!

Last week, I went to sea shore via E way from Pune.I got a Rs 145 receipt for khopoli exit at Pune (Urse) booth. It was 1
0pm when I reached Lonawala, decided to take lonawala exit and have dinner & then re enter the E way.
After dinner, while re entering the E way at kusgaon(lonawala) toll booth, they asked for another 98 Rs, I said, just 2 hrs back I had paid 145 Rs for khopoli exit, how can you again ask for 98 Rs for the remaining 10 km distance.? He said, If you have got 145 Rs receipt for Pune to khopoli exit journey,you are not supposed to take exit in between.!
I said this rule is not mentioned on the receipt or anywhere else. He said, it is like that only, and asked me to pay the extra toll or go by old NH 4.
I guess they are charging this extra toll just to compel the computers to avoid people taking temporary exit in lonawala for food break and to eat at their food malls at the booths.

 

[KALINGA]

Recently, I saw a Lane in the toll booth labeled as 'ETC Lane ', what's that?

While coming back from Mumbai, I stopped at khalapur toll booth food mall, to my surprise it was closed including all the stalls @11:35 pm. I had no option but to head toward Urse toll booth food mall near pune. To my horror, it was also closed fully @12:30 am. The McDonald's there had a board indicating that it's open 24×7!
Reason :Election code of conduct.

I was empty stomach whole day As I had attended a funeral on that day. Finally got food at 3am at home.!

Last week, I went to sea shore via E way from Pune.I got a Rs 145 receipt for khopoli exit at Pune (Urse) booth. It was 1
0pm when I reached Lonawala, decided to take lonawala exit and have dinner & then re enter the E way.
After dinner, while re entering the E way at kusgaon(lonawala) toll booth, they asked for another 98 Rs, I said, just 2 hrs back I had paid 145 Rs for khopoli exit, how can you again ask for 98 Rs for the remaining 10 km distance.? He said, If you have got 145 Rs receipt for Pune to khopoli exit journey,you are not supposed to take exit in between.!
I said this rule is not mentioned on the receipt or anywhere else. He said, it is like that only, and asked me to pay the extra toll or go by old NH 4.
I guess they are charging this extra toll just to compel the computers to avoid people taking temporary exit in lonawala for food break and to eat at their food malls at the booths.

As of now the highway police has implement the rule to close all the food plaza by 11 PM at night.
This is to prevent the highway rubbery.
I do not know how this will help to decrease the highway rubbery incidents.

I read this somewhere.

 

[Iron Rock]

ETC is electronic toll collection, vehicles with those prepaid tags can simply go through,i am told it would be available at icici banks, need to go and check out some day.

Btw the khalapur cross over to go to the opposite side is now closed permanently and left lane/underpass is now operational just immediately on the left after crossing the toll(stay on left most lanes), this is a great thing as usually trucks and cars have to cross right through the opposite lane which was horrible by expressway standards. So this means if you are travelling to adlabs imagica coming from pune side you need not take a u turn at khalapur toll plaza but rather take the proper exit on left just after the toll.

 

[Tornado]

Last week, I went to sea shore via E way from Pune.I got a Rs 145 receipt for khopoli exit at Pune (Urse) booth. It was 1
0pm when I reached Lonawala, decided to take lonawala exit and have dinner & then re enter the E way.
After dinner, while re entering the E way at kusgaon(Lonawala) toll booth, they asked for another 98 Rs, I said, just 2 hrs back I had paid 145 Rs for khopoli exit, how can you again ask for 98 Rs for the remaining 10 km distance.? He said, If you have got 145 Rs receipt for Pune to khopoli exit journey,you are not supposed to take exit in between.!
I said this rule is not mentioned on the receipt or anywhere else. He said, it is like that only, and asked me to pay the extra toll or go by old NH 4.
I guess they are charging this extra toll just to compel the commuter to avoid people taking temporary exit in lonawala for food break and to eat at their food malls at the booths.

This time I was going to Mumbai , At Urse, I asked for Rs 117 toll ticket for Lonawala, as I wanted to halt at Lonawala for lunch, fellow there said, if you want to go to Mumbai you can take 195 Rs ticket, and can take exit at Lonawala and later get through Kusgaon toll booth without. paying additional cost.

It seems things have changed.

In the khandala Ghat, WIP at the land slide prone areas (last monsoon, there was massive landslide killing few travelers), now they are installing birefringe wire net to delay the debris falling down too quickly in case of landslide. Hence two lanes on either side are are closed for traffic in that segment of the Ghat

 

[SilverEyez]

Mumbai Pune Expressway: Read Before the Journey

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/khandala-car-truck-crash-toll-rises-to-6/articleshow/62782002.cms
Headlines like these are normal in Mumbai newspapers, flashed quite often in a month.Of late i have read many fatal accidents happening frequently on the expressway.It has a direct effect on me and i am always afraid to use expressway and avoid it if possible.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a gem of an highway. The best thing to happen between two popular and ever expanding cities.
It is a responsibility of each and every driver of all vehicles on the expressway to drive safely and cautiously.

* Strictly follow lane discipline.
your zig-zag driving can disturb others judgemen, leading to accidents.
* Buckle up all the passengers, even rear seats.
lots of lives are saved by simply wearing seatbelts.
* Never ever stop on the expressway.
chances of a rear end collision increases and also beware of Gang of Thieves
* Before the journey, always fill up air in the tyres to the required PSI.
many accidents are caused due to tyre puncture as cars are driven on high speed.
* Maintain speed limit, no overspeeding.
high speed will reduce your reflex reaction to situations, also its proven that driving above 120kmph wont make a major time difference in reaching a destination.

Lets make expressway safer, lets make a difference.

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