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District Collector Suhas Diwase on Wednesday issued directives to all stakeholder agencies to find permanent solutions for 39 black spots that have been identified across Pune district.
According to norms set up by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Indian Road Congress, a patch of 500 metres of road, on which five or more accidents with fatalities or grievous injuries have taken place in past three years, is referred to as a ‘black spot’.
The district road safety committee, chaired by the District Collector, is the nodal authority that monitors the black spots and suggests remedial measures to be taken by the stakeholder agencies to reduce the risk factors on these road patches.
Based on the inputs from the police, the Pune district administration has identified 39 black spots across the district for the current year. In the meeting of the district road safety committee convened at the district collectorate on Wednesday, Diwase issued directives to all stakeholder agencies to come up with permanent solutions.
According to a press statement from the district administration, Diwase highlighted the critical need for action plans focused on these black spots to reduce accidents. “Data on recurring accident locations will be compiled to assess the effectiveness of intervention measures. The Public Works Department, National Highways Authority of India, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, and municipal corporations will collaborate on improving road conditions, implementing short-term and long-term safety plans,” said Diwase.
The concerned departments will undertake activities such as installing rumble strips, signage, road markings, pedestrian crossings, blinkers, and reflectors as part of the initiative. Over the next three months, road markings, pedestrian crossings, zebra crossings, and side strips will be painted. Funding will be provided for safety measures on highways, including the provision of resting stops and washrooms will be set by the National Highways Authority of India.
Diwase said the number of two-wheeler and pedestrian accidents is relatively high for Pune city compared to other areas. He directed the traffic police to enforce rules and ensure safety measures are implemented effectively. “The National Highways Authority of India will install traffic signals and signs at Chandni Chowk. Regular inspection of vehicles used for student transportation and their drivers will be conducted by the respective departments,” Diwase said.
Among those present for the meeting were Pune city traffic DCP Rohidas Pawar, Public Works Department superintendent engineer Bappa Bahir, National Highways Authority of India’s Yogeshwar D, Pune Municipal Corporation traffic planner Nikhil Mizar, and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation’s deputy engineer M D Kajrekar.
