The Maharashtra government has set a heightened target of 15% reduction in road accidents for the Pune Rural police, which records the highest number of road fatalities in the state. Typically, the target for police units is 10%, but due to the severity of accidents in this jurisdiction, the bar has been raised.
High Fatality Numbers
The Pune Rural police area witnesses nearly 1,000 road deaths annually. In 2022, there were 947 fatalities, followed by 1,093 in 2023 and 967 in 2024. The region is crisscrossed by numerous national and state highways, including Pune-Ahilyanagar, Pune-Solapur, Pune-Satara, Pune-Nashik, Pune-Mahad, and Nagar-Kalyan routes. Sections of the Pune-Mumbai expressway also fall under this jurisdiction.
Committees and Corrective Measures
Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, Sandeep Singh Gill, stated, “The state government has increased the target for the Pune Rural police to a 15% reduction in road fatalities, compared to the general 10% for other units, because we record the highest number of accidents. We have accepted the challenge.”
To achieve this, three committees have been formed involving government agencies such as the state Public Works Department and revenue officials. These teams will inspect black spots—road sections with repeated accidents—and implement corrective measures to improve driver visibility and road infrastructure. “We will take corrective measures to improve visibility for drivers and enhance road infrastructure with the help of other authorities to prevent accidents at these spots,” Gill added.
Ban on Illegal Median Punctures
Additionally, the police will bar all illegal punctures in medians along national and state highways. “This will prevent illegal crossings and reduce accidents,” Gill explained.
Awareness Drives and Monitoring
The Pune Rural police will also conduct awareness drives across the district. Gill noted that heavy vehicles are often involved in fatal accidents due to their high volume on highways. “We will monitor their movement,” he said.
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