Covid lockdowns cause drastic drop in accidents on Pune-Mum eway

Highway state police, Pune division, data shows 62 accidents, 29 deaths on the eway between January and April 2021

PUNE Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the series of curbs and at least two complete lockdowns since 2020, vehicular movement on the Pune -Mumbai expressway has reduced.

Pune-Mumbai expressway wears a deserted look during lockdown imposed by Maharashtra government to curb the spread of coronavirus. (PTI)

As a result, the number of accidents on the expressway has also dropped for 2020 and 2021, as compared to earlier years.

As per data shared by the Highway State Police, Pune division, in January to April 2021, saw a total of 62 accidents took place on the eway, with 29 commuters losing their lives.

In all of 2020, the e-way saw a total of 203 accidents with 81 fatalities.

Mangled remains of vehicles lie along a road after an accident on Pune-Mumbai expressway, in Navi Mumbai, on February 16, 2021. A speeding truck rammed into a goods vehicle and two SUVs following a brake failure, thereafter, it crashed into another vehicle killing six people and five others with severe injuries near Khopoli town on the expressway. (PTI)

Last year, during lockdown, the e-way was open only for vehicles providing essential goods and services. This year, only commuters with proper an e-pass issued by the police can use the e-way.

Sanjay Jadhav, superintendent, of Police, highway police, said, “Several initiatives have been taken on the expressway to reduce the accidents.One of them is taking action on speeding vehicles. At various spots police are deployed and round-the-clock vigilance is kept on the e-way for emergencies. Also, heavy vehicles are told to compulsorily travel in the left lane at a slow speed. Those not following the rules are penalised,”

“We mainly focused on speed and seat-belts on the e-way to curb the accidents. Also the response time of our team increased during this period,” he added.

Tanmay Pendse, an activist working for the safety of people using the expressway, said, “Due to the strict restrictions imposed in the state and the overall Covid situation the traffic is less on the highway this year. Also the highway police team has helped curb accidents.”