DHAYARI (PUNE) : A truck travelling from Katraj Chowk rammed into a four-wheeler and two-wheelers standing at the signal near the Navle Bridge. A two-wheeler rider was killed in the strange mishap. The deceased has been identified as Sandesh Banda Khedekar (34), a resident of Katraj-Kondhwa Road.
The incident took place on Wednesday at 8.45 am. The Sinhagad Road police have apprehended truck driver Pankaj Natkare (21), a resident of Bidar, Karnataka and the process of registering an FIR is going on. Local residents expressed anger because of frequent accidents in the Navle Bridge area.
According to the available information, the driver of a truck (KA 56- 3165) lost control over the vehicle and rammed into a four-wheeler standing at a signal. Four four-wheelers and a two-wheeler were also involved in the accident. A two-wheeler rider was killed. The four-wheelers were severely damaged. The officials and policemen of the Sinhagad Road police station rushed to the spot after they came to know about the incident. The injured were admitted to a hospital. The traffic on the main road was affected for some time. The traffic police moved the damaged vehicles aside.
The service roads of national highways 65 and 48 are connected at the Navle Bridge Chowk. The road from Katraj Chowk to Navle Bridge consists of six lanes and has a steep descent. Vehicles approaching the Navle Bridge are driven at high speed. Hence, many times, heavy vehicles ram into vehicles standing at the signal because of failure of brakes or failure to control the speed.
API of traffic department Pandurang Waghmare had sent a letter to NHAI two months ago informing it about the need to take immediate steps to take following steps in view of the steep desent at the Navle Bridge Chowk and increasing accidents but no action has been taken so far.
Steps need to be taken immediately
1) A speed breaker should be installed at the Navle Bridge Chowk as per IRC norms which will reduce the speed of the vehicles
2) On the Katraj Chowk to Navle Bridge road, rumble strips should be marked opposite Babji petrol pump. Solar red blinkers should be installed at the place
