The district of Kolhapur witnessed a concerning and sharp escalation in road accident fatalities towards the closing months of 2025, even though the annual death count remained nearly unchanged from the previous year. The total number of lives lost in traffic accidents for the year stood at 368, a marginal increase from 367 in 2024.
Alarming Surge in October-November Period
While the yearly figure showed stability, the period between October and November 2025 revealed a disturbing trend. Deaths from road accidents jumped dramatically from 52 in 2024 to 81 during the same two-month span in 2025. This significant surge has become the primary focus for local authorities, overshadowing the otherwise steady annual statistics.
Data collected from police stations indicates that from January to November 2024, a total of 1,013 accidents occurred. In the corresponding period for 2025, the number of accidents was slightly lower at 991. However, the fatal outcomes increased, highlighting the severity of the crashes that did happen.
Night Construction and Driver Error Cited as Key Causes
Officials attribute the rise in deadly accidents to several critical factors. A major reason identified is ongoing road construction work during night hours and early mornings. Drivers often misjudge or fail to see barricades and ditches in low-light conditions, leading to catastrophic collisions. Other contributing causes include wrong-side driving and drivers of multi-axle vehicles losing control.
The New Year began on a tragic note, underscoring the persistent danger. An SUV accident at Tawade Hotel Chowk near the Pune-Bengaluru NH48 claimed three lives. A majority of these fatal incidents continue to occur on national and state highways traversing the district.
RTO Launches Inspection and Month-Long Safety Campaign
In response to the crisis, the Kolhapur Regional Transport Office (RTO) has initiated decisive action. Acting on the directions of District Collector Amol Yedge, the RTO has ordered a detailed inspection of all major accident spots. A formal report along with a corrective action plan to improve infrastructure safety is due by January 10.
"We decided to survey the accident spots where multiple fatalities occurred. The spots will be analysed and facts of the accidents will be compared. There may be scope for correction which will be eventually carried out to stop accidents from happening," said Sanjiv Bhor, Regional Transport Officer of Kolhapur.
Concurrently, the authorities have launched a comprehensive Road Safety Campaign set to last for one month. During this drive, the RTO, in collaboration with the Public Works Department (PWD), will undertake several measures:
- Installation of proper signboards and marking of speed-breakers.
- Taking action against high-voltage lights used in cars and heavy vehicles that obstruct visibility.
- Penalising drivers and riders for not wearing helmets or seatbelts.
- Strict enforcement against driving under the influence of alcohol.
The campaign aims to address the immediate behavioral and infrastructural lapses that are costing lives on Kolhapur's roads, with a particular emphasis on the hazardous highway stretches.
