E-Paper
214 pedestrian deaths in past 4 years, Pune’s NH-4 a death trap?
In 2019, a group of IT employees, petitioned the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) after witnessing an increasing number of pedestrians dying while crossing the highway. The 12 techies joined hands and formed a group named ‘Safety for Pedestrians’
The safety of pedestrians has once again come to the fore following the death of a youth, 29, who was hit by a speeding vehicle while crossing the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway (NH) 4 near Bavdhan at around 2.40 am on Monday. Turns out that the 245 km stretch of NH 4 – under the jurisdiction of the Pune highway police – has seen as many as 214 pedestrian deaths in the last four years from 2019 to 2022, according to data shared by the Pune highway police.
As per the data, 65 pedestrians were killed in 64 accidents in 2019 while 47 pedestrians were killed in 46 accidents in 2020. Similarly, 64 pedestrians were killed in 61 accidents in 2021 while 38 pedestrians were killed in 38 accidents till October 31, 2022. The highest number of pedestrian deaths (85) were reported in Ujalaiwadi (Kolhapur) during the same period; followed by Sarola (Pune) with 49 pedestrian deaths in 48 accidents; Vadgaon (Pune) with 34 pedestrian deaths in 30 accidents; and Khandala (Pune) with 25 pedestrian death in 25 accidents. Whereas the lowest number of pedestrian deaths (five) were reported at Bhuinj (Satara); followed by 16 pedestrian deaths in 16 accidents at Karad (Satara).
Lata Phad, superintendent of police, highway state police (HSP) Pune, said that pedestrian deaths are a cause for concern. “We see people risking their lives daily crossing the highway. People should use the underpass for crossing. In addition to that, people should take care while crossing the highway and avoid crossing the highway at night.”
In 2019, a group of IT employees, petitioned the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) after witnessing an increasing number of pedestrians dying while crossing the highway. The 12 techies joined hands and formed a group named ‘Safety for Pedestrians’. Despite state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology, it is sad to see people having so much difficulty crossing roads, especially highways where there is high-speed traffic, the petition stated. Several men, women and children crossing highways are meeting with accidents, it said. The petition mentioned the most accident-prone locations as opposite Indira college, Wakad, and Mhalunge and Punawale bridge. The petition further said that there is an urgent need for pedestrian subways at the highway near the Bavdhan-Balewadi area. Currently, many college students are putting their lives at risk, daily, crossing the highway at this spot.
