Pune witnessed 227 accidents across 23 black spots in 2022: Traffic police

Pune had 227 accidents across 23 "black spots" in 2022, with Navale Bridge being the worst. Kharadi Bypass and Ravidarshan 15 number followed with 19 accidents each. Mai Mangeshkar Hospital witnessed 12 accidents. The traffic police are working to identify more accident-prone areas and urging drivers to adhere to traffic rules. Residents have called for regular inspections and strict implementation of traffic rules.

PUNE: Last year, the city logged as many as 227 accidents across 23 accident-prone locations or ‘black spots’ as they are commonly referred to, according to data released by the traffic police. The data underscores the need for urgent measures to improve road safety in these areas.

Following in the footsteps of Navale Bridge – Kharadi Bypass and Ravidarshan 15 number in the Hadapsar area. (SHANKAR NARAYAN/ HT)

The worst among the 23 black spots – Navale Bridge – witnessed the highest number of accidents at 31. Located on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway, Navale Bridge has been a cause of concern for the authorities due to the high number of accidents reported there in recent years.

Following in the footsteps of Navale Bridge – Kharadi Bypass and Ravidarshan 15 number in the Hadapsar area – each, witnessed 19 accidents in 2022. The Kharadi Bypass is a major connecting route for many information technology (IT) professionals in Pune and the high number of accidents has raised concerns among commuters who use this route daily.

Taking third place among the 23 black spots – Mai Mangeshkar Hospital in the Warje-Malwadi area – witnessed 12 accidents in 2022. This highway connects Pune to Satara, a major city in the state.

At the other end of the spectrum, Sancheti Chowk, Shivajinagar; Sangamwadi Parking, Yerawada; and Khadi Machine Chowk, Kondhwa reported two, three and five accidents, respectively, in 2022, as per the data.

The traffic police said that they are working on identifying more such accident-prone areas and taking measures to improve road safety. The department is also urging drivers to adhere to traffic rules and drive responsibly to avoid accidents. Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vijay Kumar Magar, said that any spot which fulfils certain criteria in terms of accidents is declared a black spot. “After studying each and every spot, we take necessary action at that particular spot to avoid further mishaps,” Magar said.

Still, residents are worried over the rise in the number of accidents and have called on the authorities to carry out regular inspections and implement traffic rules strictly.

Abhijit Jogdan from the Kharadi area, said, “Kharadi has witnessed several accidents. What are the police doing after declaring it a black spot?”

Sumita Khopekar, a resident of the Naval Bridge area, said, “We do want to live in this area. It is very scary as you can witness an accident here any time. Even after so many fatalities, the authorities are doing nothing.”