E-Paper
PMC & traffic police to fix road design at black spots across city
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Amol Zende said that the traffic police offer suggestions to the road and other departments of the PMC regarding the infrastructural changes to be undertaken at these black spots
The Pune traffic police, in collaboration with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) road department, have undertaken a survey of accident-prone spots across the city. The initiative aims to implement necessary road improvements to enhance safety and reduce accidents at these spots. As part of the road improvement effort, the authorities have started upgrading junctions, filling potholes, making structural modifications, and deploying personnel at 19 black spots identified across the city. While these locations were flagged in previous traffic police surveys, new accident-prone areas are emerging and will soon be added to the list.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Amol Zende said that the traffic police offer suggestions to the road and other departments of the PMC regarding the infrastructural changes to be undertaken at these black spots. When these changes are implemented and work is done on the ground, it reduces the risk of accidents at these spots.
“We work closely with the PMC road department to address infrastructural issues at these black spots. Based on accident patterns, we suggest changes to improve road safety. Our goal is to ensure a safer commuting experience, and this ongoing survey will help reassess and redo the black spots in Pune,” said Zende.
“If required, we will update the existing list and include additional black spots. Our priority is to minimise accidents and save lives,” Zende said.
In 2024, the city recorded 1,404 road accidents, resulting in 1,320 injuries and 320 fatalities. By comparison, 351 deaths were reported in road accidents in 2023. Zende said that accident-prone locations are identified based on inputs from local police officers. Once necessary improvements are carried out, the risk of accidents at these spots is significantly reduced. Currently, Pune has 19 officially recognised black spots. Given the high volume of traffic passing through these locations on a daily basis, there is need for continuous assessment and improvement. The traffic police have been coordinating with the PMC, public works department (PWD), and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to implement necessary road safety measures.
Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of the PMC road department, emphasised the ongoing coordination between the traffic police and civic officials. “Our local executive engineers regularly communicate with traffic inspectors to address road issues in their respective wards. Repairs, structural modifications at junctions, and improvements at black spots are being undertaken based on traffic police recommendations,” he said.
