E-Paper
Three accidents on Pune-Bengaluru highway stretch in a single day
In the first accident, five people lost their lives and 22 others sustained injuries when a speeding truck lost control and hit a private bus from the rear end
PUNE On the Pune-Bengaluru highway, the stretch between Navale bridge and Swami Narayan temple has developed a reputation as a hotpost for accidents, with numerous incidences being reported here. The stretch, a key intersection on the highway, experiences substantial traffic throughout the day.
On Sunday, three accidents were reported in quick succession on the stretch. The accidents occurred between 1 am and 3 am.
In the first accident, five people lost their lives and 22 others sustained injuries when a speeding truck lost control and hit a private bus from the rear end.
Police officials from the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station said that the incident happened at around 2 am on Sunday. A truck carrying sugar bags rammed a private bus heading towards Mumbai from Kolhapur. The driver of the car was seriously injured and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Locals claimed that the truck was travelling at an extremely high speed, and the driver may have lost control.
Residents have been raising concerns about the safety of the stretch for a long time. They have been demanding that the authorities take necessary steps to ensure the safety of commuters on the road. They have also suggested the installation of rumblers and speed breakers on the bridge to control the speed of vehicles.
Mahesh Jadhav, a resident, said, “This particular stretch has reported several fatal accidents. The authorities are turning a blind eye to the problem here. They should take up the issue on priority to avoid mishaps.”
The second accident occurred at 1:31 am in which a truck collided with another truck just a few hundred metres away from the site of the first accident at Bhumkar bridge on the Pune-Bengaluru highway. The driver of the truck sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital by police.
According to the Sinhagad Road police station, a truck halted in the middle of the highway as it caught fire. At that time, an overspeeding truck heading towards Satara collided with the stationary truck from the rear end.
In the third accident, which took place on the stretch from Swami Narayan Temple to Bhumkar Bridge service road near Ganesh Dham at 3:30 am, an overspeeding truck collided with three parked vehicles including a minibus and truck from the rear end and further went on to dash a car parked near Ganesh Dham building.
No one was injured in the accident, but vehicles were damaged and the road was blocked for a few hours until the authorities arrived to clear the wreckage, said officials.
Shailesh Sankhe, senior police inspector, at Sinhagad Road police station, said, “We have reported two accidents, and no casualty has been reported. We have started the procedure to register a case in the second accident incident in which four vehicles were involved.’’
According to officials, accidents are reported here due to overspeeding, reckless driving, steep slopes and in many cases, drivers switching off the engine on the slope which result in brake failure.
The authorities have appealed to the public to follow traffic rules and drive responsibly to avoid accidents on the bridge. They have advised commuters to avoid overspeeding and to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the road.
Recent accidents
February 12, 2023: The brakes of a speeding truck failed and it rammed into four vehicles near Navale Bridge on the Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass.
January 20, 2023: A dumper hit a two-wheeler at Bhumkar Chowk on Navale Bridge.
December 1, 2022: A tempo collided with a truck and seven people were injured.
Committee set up to probe accidents
A committee has been formed to investigate the causes of the accidents on Pune and Bengaluru stretch. District collector Rajesh Deshmukh said, a review of the stretch will be conducted through the Road Safety Committee. The Save Life Foundation has also been engaged to provide support in determining the causes of the accident and suggesting remedial measures. The foundation’s recommendations, based on its report, include placing reflective strips at various locations, removing encroachments on the sides of the road, placing speed bumps on both sides, increasing police presence, and controlling vehicle speeds. A committee under the leadership of traffic DCP Pune City will study the incident in detail and will submit a detailed report within the next seven days, said Deshmukh. The committee constitutes members including the project director of NHAI, superintendent engineer from the public works department (PWD) and officials from the RTO department.
