A tragic accident involving a Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus has claimed the life of a 49-year-old pedestrian in the Hadapsar area, leading to renewed public anger over the city's deteriorating traffic conditions and safety lapses.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The fatal incident occurred around 11 am on Wednesday near the Gadital bus stop on the busy Pune-Solapur Road. The victim, identified by Hadapsar police as Suman Hanumant Kshirsagar, a homemaker, was visiting Hadapsar for a sonography test due to back pain. After completing her test, she was walking towards the bus stop with a relative when the accident happened.
Senior Inspector Sanjay Mogle provided a detailed account. He stated that the PMPML bus had stopped to allow passengers to board. As the driver restarted and accelerated the vehicle, it struck Kshirsagar, causing her to fall. Tragically, she became trapped under the front right wheel of the bus. The police have arrested the bus driver on charges of rash and negligent driving, suspecting he failed to notice the pedestrian while accelerating.
Systemic Traffic Woes at Gadital Junction
The accident spot, Gadital junction, is a critical and congested point where two major roads converge and serves as a key bus stand. Local residents point to long-standing, unresolved issues that make the area a hazard.
Despite the Hadapsar police station being located directly behind the bus stand, traffic violations are rampant. Encroachments on both sides of the road have severely reduced its carriage width. The intersection connects the Saswad road and the Solapur highway, attracting heavy vehicular flow.
While flyovers dedicated to Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj have eased some congestion, PMPML buses must still pass under them to access the bus stand. A resident explained that due to limited space inside the main stand and rising commuter demand, the transport body has introduced additional stops outside the premises, adding to the chaos.
Official Response and Commuter Anguish
Hadapsar division traffic inspector Rajendra Karnkot acknowledged the problems. He confirmed that requests have been made to the Regional Transport Office, PMPML, and the Pune Municipal Corporation to relocate autorickshaw stands and bus stops, and to demolish unauthorized structures to widen the road. He also highlighted the persistent issue of hawkers occupying space beneath the flyover.
Regular commuters, however, express frustration over the daily ordeal. Nikhil Naik, a commuter, pointed out dangerous practices: "There are two signals at the intersection, and one road is one-way. Yet, two-wheelers and even buses break signals or travel in the wrong direction. This creates unpredictable and dangerous conditions." He added that minor accidents are common and the absence of traffic personnel leads to poor rule compliance.
This is not an isolated incident. The area has witnessed similar tragedies recently:
- On July 25, a 75-year-old man suffered fractures to three toes on his left foot after a PMPML bus ran over him while he waited at a bus stop near Gadital Chowk.
- On October 15, motorcyclist Nivruti Kokate (65) from Pashan lost his life when a water tanker rammed his bike from the rear at the same bus stop.
The stretch, part of the busy Solapur Road corridor linking Hadapsar Gadital to Dive Ghat, remains heavily congested with buses, private cars, and freight vehicles, especially during peak hours, posing a continuous threat to pedestrian and commuter safety.
