100-km stretch of Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway on which Cyrus Mistry died has claimed more than 60 lives this year

Poor maintenance of the road, lack of proper signage, and absence of speed curbing measures are among the factors responsible for the high number of accidents: Official

News of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry dying in a car accident in Maharashtra's Palghar district sent shockwaves through the country earlier this month.

Official data shows that it was not an one-off incident.

The 100-km stretch of Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway between Ghodbunder in Thane and Dapchari in Palghar district has witnessed 262 accidents this year, claiming at least 62 lives and leaving 192 persons injured, police officials said.

Over-speeding and error of judgement on a driver's part have played a role in many of these incidents. But officials say that poor maintenance of the road, lack of proper signage, and absence of speed curbing measures too are among the factors responsible for the high number of accidents.

The stretch near Charoti, where the Mercedes car in which Mistry was travelling met with an accident on September 4, has seen 26 deaths in 25 serious accidents since the start of this year, said a Maharashtra Highway Police official.

The stretch near Chinchoti has reported 25 deaths in 34 serious accidents during the same period, while 11 persons have died in 10 accidents near Manor, he said.

"Charoti is a black spot when it comes to accidents, and so is the stretch of some 500 meters beyond it towards Mumbai," he said.