Mumbai-Pune e-ways saw 10,251 cases of road violations in Jan

As part of the Suraksha Campaign drive, RTO has recorded 66% of traffic violations on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the remaining on the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH 48). According to figures, out of the total 6,809 cases of 13 broad violations under the Motor Vehicles Rules; on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, 2,301 cases were of speeding

Mumbai: In just a month, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and old Mumbai-Pune Highway witnessed around 10,251 cases of various offences by motorists, revealed a January figure from the Regional Transport Office (RTO).

Pune, India - December19, 2020: Vehicles repeatedly enter the Mumbai-Pune expressway in violation of traffic rules at the exit point at Somatane Phata, leading to fears of a major accident in Pune, India, on Saturday, December 19, 2020. (HT PHOTO) (Hindustan Times)

Violations such as speeding, cutting the lane, not wearing seat belts, and using mobile phones while driving are among the recorded offences.

As part of the Suraksha Campaign drive, RTO has recorded 66% of traffic violations on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the remaining on the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH 48). According to figures, out of the total 6,809 cases of 13 broad violations under the Motor Vehicles Rules; on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, 2,301 cases were of speeding. This was followed by 1,550 cases of lane cutting, 1,007 cases of motorists not wearing seatbelts and 466 cases of wrong-side parking.

“We have observed that motorists continue to speed up and avoid wearing seatbelts while driving on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. They even park on the wrong side of the expressway. The cases of motorists using mobile phones are lesser on the expressway at 42 as compared to those who drive on NH 48 with 143 cases,” said an RTO official.

On the Old Mumbai-Pune NH 48 Highway with 3442 cases; the most number of violations were of motorists not wearing seatbelts with 446 cases. This was followed by 233 cases where motorists did not have valid motor driving licences and 191 cases of vehicles cutting lanes. On both the roads together, connecting the cities of Mumbai and Pune; 2,351 cases of speeding topped the chart that was followed by 1,741 cases of lane cutting.

The RTOs have formed 12 squads collectively on both highways, with each squad having 15 officers who catch violators, counsel them and even sign a pledge. Bharat Kalaskar, deputy commissioner of, Road Safety department, Transport Department said, “We have observed that the number of accidents has reduced on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Old NH 48. The accidents have come down from 38 to 16 in January while fatalities decreased from 14 to 6”.