Three accidents daily on Pune roads, 530 deaths in past 18 months

City roads are witnessing three accidents daily, resulting in at least one death and two injuries, due to non-compliance with safety measures. Over the past 18 months, 530 people have died in road accidents. The increase in fatalities is attributed to the rise in vehicles after the Covid-19 lockdown, with a significant number of accidents involving two-wheelers. The traffic police and civic authorities are working together to address the issue and reduce accidents and fatalities. Pedestrian safety is also a major concern, with activists urging the Pune Municipal Corporation to improve infrastructure and ensure pedestrian rights.

Three accidents are being reported on city roads on a daily basis with at least one death and two injuries, according to the traffic police. As many as 530 people have died in accidents on city roads in the past 18 months. Citizens are attributing the rise in fatalities to the fact that safety and security measures are not being followed in letter and spirit.

Three accidents are being reported on city roads on a daily basis with at least one death and two injuries, according to the traffic police (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

After the Covid-19 lockdown, the city saw an unprecedented rise in the number of vehicles bought with the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) figures showing as many as 36 lakh vehicles registered with its offices. Out of these, 26.87 lakh are two-wheelers whereas 4.25 lakh new vehicles were added to the existing number of two-wheelers in the city in the past 18 months. Road accidents involving two-wheelers have also shown a sharp increase and there has been an increase in subsequent deaths, according to the traffic police.

According to the traffic branch, as many as 872 accidents took place on city roads in 2022 out of which, 315 were fatal and resulted in 325 deaths. During the first six months of 2023, as many as 638 accidents took place on city roads out of which, 192 were fatal and claimed 202 lives.

Pedestrian First founder, Prashant Inamdar, said that despite attempts to ensure traffic compliance on the part of citizens, there wasn’t much change brought about at the ground level. “The RTO and traffic police are making joint efforts to bring down the number of accidents. Citizens must also wholeheartedly participate in this endeavour for a safe and secure future on city roads,” Inamdar said.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Vijay Kumar Magar said, “We are seeing a rise in the number of accidents and fatalities due to violation of traffic rules and negligence towards traffic norms. We are working closely with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and all other departments to ensure that the number of accidents and fatalities are reduced significantly.”

Magar informed that the traffic police have carried out a detailed study on the rise of accidents according to which, most accidents occur due to sheer negligence on the part of drivers. Riding triple seat, breaking no-entry rules, driving in BRT lanes, breaching road dividers and medians, sudden turns and riding/driving sans helmets are some of the reasons behind the rise in road accidents and subsequent deaths.

Civic activist Qaneez Sukhrani said, “We have filed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging gross negligence on the part of the PMC in ensuring pedestrian rights by providing safe, obstruction- and encroachment- free footpaths, footways, level crossing, subways and footover bridges which is also one of the main reasons behind the rise in road accidents.”

The PMC has the constitutional responsibility of urban planning and execution of development plans to provide pedestrians with their fundamental rights, Sukhrani said. According to the traffic department, there has been a sharp increase in the number of pedestrian deaths in road accidents and the PMC must take immediate action in this regard.