E-Paper
2021 sees 199 fatalities on Pune city roads
Traffic experts and activists said that bad roads, incomplete roads, rash driving and indiscipline were some of the main reasons behind the rise in the number of vehicular accidents in Pune city
On November 21 or the third Sunday of November which is traditionally observed as World Remembrance Day for victims of road accidents, the traffic branch revealed that there were as many as 199 fatal accident-related deaths in 2021 as compared to 143 in 2020, and 206 in 2019.
The traffic branch said that the number of fatalities had gone down only marginally despite awareness created by different wings of the state government seeking to reduce road accidents and fatalities. Traffic experts and activists said that bad roads, incomplete roads, rash driving and indiscipline were some of the main reasons behind the rise in the number of vehicular accidents in the city.
Despite restrictions for almost five months and offices allowing work from home due to Covid, the fatalities this year were high. Last year the number had come down drastically with complete lockdown for over two months.
DCP (traffic) Rahul Srirame said that relaxation of lockdown restrictions and the addition of two new police stations – Lonikand and Lonikalbhor – had led to the rise in number of accident-related deaths. Most of the accident-related deaths were reported on stretches of the Pune-Solapur and Pune-Ahmedabad highways that come under the city limits. “Two-wheeler riders form the major chunk of accidental deaths wherein more than 90 two-wheeler riders have died in road fatalities during the year,” Srirame told Hindustan Times.
Lonikand accounted for 20 fatalities while Lonikalbhor saw 16 fatalities even as most of the city’s old areas did not witness major accidents and deaths. However, citizen-activists pointed out several roads where accidents had occurred in areas including Chandan nagar, Yerawada, Dhanori, Hadapsar, Mohammadwadi, Undri, Baner, Pashan and other areas where the traffic police was found wanting in terms of manpower, patrolling and taking strict action against rash driving.
Traffic expert Prashant Inamdar said, “We need more vigilance and enforcement on the part of the traffic branch in terms of implementation of traffic rules in the city. Wider dissemination of the dangers of rash driving along with strict implementation of penalties will lead to reduction in road accidents and fatalities. It is a continuous process and long-term measures are needed so that Pune becomes safe for commuters.”
November 21 – origin and significance
Since the adoption of World Remembrance Day for victims of road accidents, pursuant to the General Assembly resolution, the day is being observed by a growing number of countries around the world. According to the United Nations, the day has become an important tool in the global efforts to reduce road casualties. It offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes, and for recognising the suffering of road crash victims as also the work of support and rescue services.
On the occasion, a dedicated website was launched to make the day more widely known and to link countries through shared objectives and remembrance of those killed and injured in crashes.
Deputy RTO Sanjay Sasane said, “On the occasion of this day, more than 40 programmes on road safety will be organised. We are working closely with different government departments, motor training schools, and our RTO office for spreading traffic safety-related awareness in the society.”
