15 March,2023 05:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
A mishap involving two trucks near the Bhatan tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. File Pic/Shadab Khan
Three months after an all-out RTO drive was launched on the old Mumbai-Pune highway and expressway, statistics show a decline of 30 per cent in road fatalities as compared to last year. The drive launched in December 2022 is expected to go on for another three months.
From December 1, we started a 24-hour mass drive with full-fledged staff to take action against all kinds of traffic violators, including those without helmets and drivers who indulge in lane-cutting, wrong-side driving and illegal parking. For the drive, 30 staff members from the Mumbai, Panvel, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO offices had been deputed for action, forming 12 squads. Six squads with 15 officers in each were posted on the expressway and highway for action with interceptor vehicles," said Bharat Kalaskar, deputy transport commissioner (road safety cell) and transport officer.
Officers participate in the drive to reduce fatal accidents on the old Mumbai-Pune highway and expressway
"What we have achieved is quite remarkable. The statistics speak for themselves. From January to February 2022, there were 21 fatal accidents, which claimed 31 lives. In the same period this year, the number of such accidents has come down to 14 and the number of deceased is 14. This roughly means that 33 per cent fewer accidents and 55 per cent fewer fatalities," he said.
Also read: Mumbai-Pune Expressway: Awareness done, time to take action
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The figures are from two RTO jurisdictions of Pimpri-Chinchwad and Panvel through which both highways pass. "The figures are combined for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and old highway. Usually, the highway police are appointed on the expressway and this is the first time that RTO squads are working here along with them," he added.
"Our effort has been to eliminate black spots, study accident-prone sites and put up signage as well as crackdown on wrong-side driving, illegal parking along highways, riding without a helmet, not wearing seat belts, lane cutting and the wrong use of lanes by heavy vehicles," he added.
Dec 1
Day in 2022 when thedrive was launched
