A few changes suggested by a research project of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway — which studied accident spots and reasons behind mishaps on the stretch — and implemented by officials have apparently helped reduce the overall accident rate along the expressway.

The simple changes include fixing tapering guard rails, removing heavy flowerpots, chopping of bushes on sharp curves that block vision, removal of curb stones, filling up gaps in the median and many more. The sustained efforts to implement these over the past nearly six years are now paying off, with the number of fatalities having come down.