According to the Pune police data, two neighbouring accident-prone 'black spots' in the Navale Bridge area have reported as many as 31 deaths in as many as 108 accidents over the last five years. (Representational image)Another road accident was reported near the Navale bridge in Pune as a truck collided with a pick-up tempo around 5 am Wednesday morning and seven people were injured, said the police.
A team from Sinhagad Road police station, the traffic control branch, and the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) rushed to the spot. The police said the injured were taken to the Sassoon hospital for treatment and reported to be stable. Meanwhile, the process of lodging an offense in this case was on, the police said.
A major accident took place on the Navale bridge on November 20 night, in which a truck carrying gunny bags of rice went on to hit or brush at least 48 vehicles. As many as 24 of those vehicles were heavily damaged and 13 people were injured. They were admitted to various hospitals and later discharged.
Top police and NHAI officials have since then started working on an action plan to reduce the road mishaps at Navale bridge, known to be a major-accident prone spot in the city.
However, on the afternoon of November 26, a tanker collided with three other vehicles near the Navale bridge. All three vehicles were damaged in the mishap but no casualties were reported.
According to the Pune police data, two neighbouring accident-prone ‘black spots’ in the Navale Bridge area have reported as many as 31 deaths in as many as 108 accidents over the last five years.
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 the road on which five or more accidents with fatalities or grievous injuries have taken place in three years, is referred to as a ‘black spot’.
After the mishap on November 20, Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta said there cannot be a permanent solution until the gradient of the slope of the Navale Bridge is reduced. “The gradient has to be according to the National Highway manual…. But a long term solution will take time. Till then we will implement short term solutions,” Gupta had said.