Pune has made strides in reducing road accidents at dangerous spots this year, thanks to new traffic measures and increased enforcement.
Last year, police reported fewer fatal accidents, with 310 deaths in 2024 compared to 334 in 2023. However, the total number of accidents did rise to 1,400, up from 1,230 the previous year. They’ve put in place several measures to improve traffic flow, like issuing 25 notifications for one-way streets and banning heavy vehicles on certain routes.
The police have stepped up enforcement, which has made a difference. Just look at the numbers: drunken driving cases jumped from 384 in 2023 to 5,293 in 2024. Wrong-side driving went from 35,556 to 2,06,215, and rash driving cases soared from 689 to 8,687. They even canceled 1,345 driving licenses for repeated violations this year.
A tragic accident in May 2024, where two IT engineers lost their lives in a Porsche crash, really shook the community. The driver, just 17 and allegedly drunk, sparked outrage when it seemed like there were attempts to cover up the incident. The police arrested ten people, including the driver’s parents, for tampering with evidence.
While it’s great to see fewer accidents at black spots, the overall rise in accidents shows there’s still work to be done. The police are urging everyone to follow traffic rules to keep Pune’s roads safer for everyone.