The Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway has witnessed a remarkable 55% decrease in fatalities in the last two months. This development came after a six-month campaign was launched by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), which aimed at reducing traffic violations in December 2022.
The program began on December 1 and it will continue until the end of May.
Owing to the campaign, there has been 33 per cent reduction in deadly crashes and 46% decline in fatal accidents in January and February.
Transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar shared that approximately 30,000 residents were given road safety advice, with a focus on those ticketed for speeding. This led to fewer accidents on the highways.
The RTO also recorded several other traffic violations, including wrong side parking, using mobile phones while driving, and driving without a proper license.
In total, 688 drivers were arrested for not having valid insurance, 513 for operating a vehicle with an obscured registration number, and 216 for driving without a license. Additionally, 119 bus operators were penalised for loading cargo onto buses, and 5,009 people were cited for other violations.
Deputy transport commissioner for roads, Bharat Kalaskar, stated that the reduction in fatalities from 31 in 2022 to 14 this year so far is a significant achievement. The RTO program has also opened the rightmost lanes to cars and SUVs, making the highways safer for drivers.
As part of the campaign, RTO patrol teams removed hawkers and temporary carts along the Mumbai-Pune highway's ghat portion, which posed a safety hazard to drivers. The vendors were located along the highway near the ghats, where visitors could enjoy a beautiful view of the valley and its environs.
Despite the campaign being conducted independently, with no cooperation from other law enforcement organizations, Bhimanwar believes that even a small effort can have a significant impact on reducing accidents.