Deadly Journey of Heavy Vehicles in Pune: 1,475 Fatalities in Five Years
Pune, 25th September 2025: Heavy vehicle traffic on highways passing through Pune city and its suburbs, including the Ahilyanagar, Satara, and Solapur routes, is increasingly becoming life-threatening. Over the past five years, more than 1,200 accidents involving heavy vehicles have occurred, claiming 1,475 lives. Of these fatalities, approximately 500 were pedestrians. In 2025 alone, from January to August, 195 accidents and 199 deaths have been reported.
Despite time restrictions imposed on heavy vehicles—from 7 am to 10 pm in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and surrounding areas—trucks, dumpers, and other large vehicles continue to ply highways passing through city limits. Ongoing construction work in central areas has further contributed to heavy vehicle traffic. Overloading, speeding, and drunk driving are cited as major factors behind the increasing number of accidents.
“The frequent accidents make it extremely risky for two-wheeler and motorcycle riders at night. Passengers and locals are genuinely afraid,” said Pranjali Deshpande, a researcher specializing in road safety. She added that overloading, high-speed driving at night, and drunken driving are key reasons for the high mortality in these accidents. “Without strict rules, a dedicated monitoring system, and daily inspections, it will be difficult to reduce accidents,” she said.
Accident statistics over the last five years highlight the severity of the issue:
2021: 239 accidents, 255 deaths
2022: 315 accidents, 325 deaths
2023: 334 accidents, 351 deaths
2024: 334 accidents, 345 deaths
2025 (Jan–Aug): 195 accidents, 199 deaths
High-traffic stretches such as Yerawada, Kharadi, Wagholi, Shikrapur, and Ranjangaon on the Nagar route; Hadapsar and Urulikanchan toward Solapur; and Katraj, Navale Pul, and Khed-Shivapur on the Satara highway have become particularly accident-prone. Local residents are urging authorities to implement stricter preventive measures for heavy vehicles.
Himmat Jadhav, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic Branch, said, “Time restrictions for heavy vehicles and close monitoring through CCTV are being implemented to reduce accidents. Compared to earlier years, the number of accidents is showing a decreasing trend.”
