Pune roads continue to be unsafe despite increased efforts to restrain road accidents after the notorious Kalyani Nagar Porsche accident on May 19, 2024. The police records paint a dark picture: 234 hit-and-run cases occurred in the city from May 19, 2024, to May 15, 2025, 231 of which ended in deaths. This alarming increase points to the persistent issues of driver responsibility, road discipline, and pedestrian safety, casting a shadow over Pune’s urban mobility.
Mrudula Narale
Pune | May 19, 2025: The Kalyani Nagar accident, in which a high-end car driven by a supposedly drunken teenager killed two IT professionals, caused public outrage and fuelled demands for tougher laws, increased surveillance, and speedier justice. However, the continuous queue of hit-and-run cases indicates ingrained systemic flaws. In 2024 alone, out of the 334 reported fatal accidents, almost 70% were cases of fleeing drivers who failed to offer crucial medical treatment even during the “golden hour,” that greatly deterred the survival chances of victims.
Pune cops have increased their drives to catch the culprits by utilizing CCTV images, eyewitness accounts, and quick response systems. In many cases, suspects were caught within hours. Nevertheless, surveillance gaps and vehicular management loopholes enable some offenders to go free, pointing to the need for stronger preventive measures. High-risk areas such as Nagar Road, Solapur Road, and the Katraj-Dehu Road Bypass consistently record the most number of hit-and-run accidents, with repeated fatal crashes under Loni Kalbhor and Lonikand jurisdictions.
Key incidents highlight the crisis. On September 9, 2024, a tempo driver under the influence on Paud Road ran over a female motorcyclist and, in his attempt to escape, crashed into several cars, creating havoc before being caught. On October 9, 2024, a speeding car in Koregaon Park killed a food delivery executive on the spot, with the driver fleeing before help could be reached. On 1 April 2025, a walker was run down by a speeding vehicle while out for a morning walk in Undri, once again highlighting weak points in walker infrastructure.
The statistics indicate a wider pattern of road safety offenses, with 1,403 accidents in total in 2024, 345 fatalities, and 745 major injuries. As of March 2025, 241 accidents already accounted for 62 fatalities. Most drivers run away out of fear, drunkenness, or lack of awareness of laws, making the prevention even more daunting. Poor pedestrian routes and lack of road discipline further aggravate the problem, especially on busy routes.
Although law enforcement’s reaction following such incidents has become better, preventing such tragedies eludes us. Ramping up surveillance, making vehicle rules stricter, and improving pedestrian infrastructure are vital to checking this epidemic. Pune’s road safety crisis needs swift, far-reaching intervention to save lives and restore confidence in the city’s roads.
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