Pune Tops India’s Traffic Woes: Over 3,500 Deaths Linked to Pollution Each Year, Says Expert
Pune, 19th May 2025: Pune has earned the dubious distinction of being the most traffic-congested city in India, with rising vehicle numbers also driving a dangerous spike in air pollution. According to traffic researcher and Parisar Executive Director Ranjit Gadgil, air pollution-related diseases claim the lives of approximately 3,500 citizens in Pune and 2.1 million across India annually.
Gadgil was speaking at the ‘Vasant Lecture Series’ organized by Vaktṛtvottejak Sabha on the topic “Urban Traffic Challenges and the Way Forward.” He highlighted that road accidents remain a major public safety concern, killing over 170,000 people and seriously injuring 500,000 others in India every year. In Pune alone, one person dies in a road crash each day.
“Building more roads and flyovers to fix traffic is like trying to douse a fire with petrol,” Gadgil warned. He explained that expanding infrastructure often results in an increase in private vehicles, thereby compounding the problem.
He stressed that traffic congestion is not just a technical issue but a social challenge, one that demands citizen-centric—not vehicle-centric—solutions. “Reducing the number of vehicles and improving public transport are key steps toward long-term relief,” he said. “Once we reduce vehicles on roads, many related problems solve themselves.”
Currently, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) buses are the city’s sole public transport option. Despite growing demand, the PMPML fleet has increased by just 50 buses over the past four years, while passenger numbers have declined. Ideally, a city should have 50 buses per 100,000 people. Pune, however, falls short, operating with only half that capacity—further discouraging commuters from shifting to public transport.
“In developed countries,” Gadgil noted, “each private car is allocated parking at three locations—home, office, and mall. If we are serious about reducing car usage, we must take firm steps to discourage private vehicle dependence.”
