Pune: With an aim to curb the increasing number of fatal accidents during monsoons, Pune city traffic and highway traffic police department are stepping up measures to ensure that the accidents can be brought down.
Going by statistics given by the city traffic police department, as many as 136 people lost their lives between June to September last year. As per the statistics of highway traffic police, during the same period last year, 43 people were killed in road accidents on the Pune- Mumbai expressway.
With increasing number of fatal accidents in city limits, the city traffic police sent a letter last month to Pune municipal corporation to make speed breakers at 208 different places in the city.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare, said,”After carrying out a study, we have sent a list of 208 places in the city where speed breakers are required. We will start a drive against drunk driver and helmetless drivers from next month.”
Pandhare added,”During monsoon the number of fatal accidents increase by 60 percent. This year, we ensured that the 90% of traffic signals in the city should function during monsoons.”
However, experts claim that merely constructing speed breakers and functioning traffic signals will not help prevent accidents. SCN Jatar, president of Nagarik Chetna Manch, said,”It is essential to spread awareness about safe riding. Making speed breakers as an alternative. Instead, as a surprise, traffic cops should stand at different locations every day which will for-ce people to abide by the rules.”
The highway traffic police department will be deploying additional constables with speed guns to check speed limit and whether heavy vehicles are observing lane disciplines. They will also be coordinating with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to check whether the tale light and indicators are in working condition.
Superintendent of police (highway traffic) Rashmi Karandikar said,”The primary reason for increase in the number of accident during monsoon is poor visibility and over speeding which is why we have decided to keep a check on speed with the help of speed guns and we will be checking that heavy vehicles are observing lane discipline.”
Tanmay Pendse, a businessman and Fulora’s project director for Safety on E-way, said said, “Its is impossible to check the speed on the entire 93 km stretch, highway traffic will have to deploy extra man power in the accident prone area. They should also try to nab the driver who are driving in drunk state at the toll booth.This will to bring down the number of accidents.”
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