Nagpur: The much-touted Nagpur–Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg, projected as a symbol of modern infrastructure and faster connectivity, is increasingly earning a grim reputation as a dangerous and deadly corridor, with accidents and fatalities rising sharply in 2025, exposing serious concerns about road safety and enforcement.
According to provisional data released by the Maharashtra Highway Police, the Samruddhi Mahamarg witnessed 185 accidents in 2025, marking a steep 35 per cent rise from 137 accidents recorded in 2024. Even more alarming is the surge in fatal incidents on the expressway linking Nagpur with Mumbai.
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Fatal accidents climbed from 96 in 2024 to 128 in 2025, an increase of 33 per cent, while the number of deaths rose from 126 to 152, reflecting a 21 per cent spike. The figures paint a disturbing picture of a highway that was envisioned as a safe, high-speed corridor but is now witnessing a steady escalation in deadly crashes.
The situation becomes even more concerning when it comes to serious injuries. Serious accident cases doubled from 23 to 46, while the number of people critically injured skyrocketed from 50 to 140, nearly tripling within a year, highlighting glaring safety lapses.
The six-lane access-controlled expressway was opened in phases beginning December 2022, with the entire stretch becoming operational only last year. Authorities claim that an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) is being implemented to strengthen monitoring and improve road safety, but the rising accident numbers suggest that the measures may be too little, too late.
Interestingly, despite the disturbing spike in accidents and fatalities, the Maharashtra Transport Commissioner’s office chose not to mention these alarming statistics in its press release issued on January 22, raising eyebrows over what critics describe as selective disclosure of data.
The release instead highlighted improvements on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the country’s first access-controlled highway, where fatal accidents reportedly declined.
Data shows the Mumbai-Pune Expressway recorded 187 accidents in 2025, slightly down from 191 in 2024, marking a 2 per cent decline. Fatal accidents dropped from 74 to 60, while deaths decreased from 90 to 68, indicating a 22 per cent reduction in fatalities.
However, the expressway was not entirely free from concerns. Minor injury accidents increased by 12 per cent, rising from 25 to 28, while the number of persons sustaining minor injuries jumped 42 per cent, from 65 to 92. Accidents without injuries also rose sharply from 44 to 58, reflecting a 32 per cent increase.
Across Maharashtra, the overall road safety scenario remains troubling. The state recorded 36,450 road accidents in 2025, continuing a six-year streak of rising crashes, compared to 36,118 in 2024 and 35,243 in 2023.
Although fatalities saw a marginal dip to 15,549 in 2025 from 15,715 in 2024, the numbers still underline the persistent failure to curb deadly road accidents.
The State Transport Department has set an ambitious target of reducing road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030, but with accident numbers steadily climbing and critical corridors like the Samruddhi Mahamarg witnessing a surge in deadly crashes, serious questions remain about whether the authorities are doing enough to prevent the highways of progress from turning into highways of death.
