Despite several safety measures implemented by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), accidents involving its buses continue to be a cause for concern. Data from the past three years shows a decline in overall accidents but a worrying persistence of fatalities, especially involving hired buses.
PMPML provides public transport services across Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR); carrying more than 10 lakh passengers daily. (HT FILE)
According to PMPML data, PMPML-owned buses were involved in 41 accidents including 12 fatal, 7 major, 8 minor and 14 insignificant accidents from April 2023 to March 2024 with an accident rate of 0.08 per one lakh kilometres. From April 2024 to March 2025, PMPML-owned buses recorded 20 accidents including 11 fatal, 3 major, 6 minor and no insignificant ones. During this period, the accident rate declined to 0.04 per one lakh kilometres reflecting improved operational safety though the share of fatal accidents remained high. Taking into consideration accidents involving both PMPML-owned and PMPML-hired buses, 53 accidents were reported between April 2024 and March 2025, resulting in 29 deaths and 72 injured persons. Further, between January 2025 and October 2025, PMPML buses were involved in 22 accidents, leading to 15 fatalities and 27 injuries. Between March 2025 and October 2025, PMPML-owned buses were involved in five accidents resulting in one death; while hired buses recorded 17 accidents causing 15 deaths, highlighting continued safety concerns related to contractor-operated services.
Commenting on the accident trend over the last three years, PMPML chairman and managing director (CMD) Pankaj Deore said, “The last three years’ data shows that the accident trend of PMPML is moving in the right direction in terms of overall reduction. However, fatalities remain a serious concern, especially in cases involving hired buses. We have intensified driver training, counselling, and monitoring. Strict action will be taken against any driver (of PMPML-owned or PMPML-hired buses) who violates traffic rules or compromises passenger safety.”
While Mangesh Kulkarni, who commutes daily between Pimpri and Pune, said, “We depend on PMPML buses every day, but speeding and signal jumping are still common. The reduction in numbers is welcome, but passengers want to feel safe on every journey.”
Another commuter, Sneha Nair, who travels daily from Kothrud to Shivajinagar, said, “Many accidents can be avoided if traffic rules are strictly enforced for bus drivers. Safety should not depend on whether a bus is owned or hired.”
PMPML provides public transport services across Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR); carrying more than 10 lakh passengers daily. The undertaking currently has a fleet of 2,019 buses, 1,700 of which operate daily on various city and outer routes. A significant number of accidents has been reported on outer routes, where both minor and major crashes are frequent.
