The Pune road transport officials (RTO) have stepped up drive to check passenger transport vehicles at the Sinhagad Fort following two accidents reported on Sunday.
Around 10-12 tourists were injured when a transport jeep carrying them overturned on the way to the historic spot. The injured were rushed to a private hospital and forest department and police officials visited the spot for inspection. The jeep carrying tourists overturned near one of the turns on the slope.
In another mishap reported on the same day, a jeep carrying students to the fort met with an accident in the morning due to brake failure on a steep slope near the parking lot. While the mishap left a girl injured, a major accident was averted as the jeep was later stopped by protruding rocks.
The mishaps have raised the issue of using old vehicles at the dangerous ghat area to transport visitors to the fort.
“Two passenger vehicles have met with an accident on the ghat road on Sunday. We have written to the RTO and police administration twice regarding inspection of passenger vehicles and still await action,” said Baliram Waikar, Conservator of Forests, Sinhagad Fort.
Sanjeev Bhor, Pune Regional Transport Officer, said, “We carry out regular inspection of passenger vehicles across the city and take action against illegal vehicles. At the Sinhagad Fort, most of the transport vehicles are run by villagers and private vehicles are banned for passenger transport. We will intensify our drive on the fort stretch.”