Pune: In a troubling 24-hour span, three deadly road accidents were reported on the Mumbai–Bengaluru Bypass and Wadgaon Flyover area, highlighting growing concerns about the safety of this high-traffic corridor. The crashes involved high-speed vehicles and two-wheelers, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including a college security guard and a young IT professional.
The first incident occurred early Saturday morning when a car traveling at high speed collided head-on with a two-wheeler, instantly killing a college student. Later the same day, at approximately 1 PM, a speeding truck traveling from Katraj toward Navale Bridge lost control and rammed into multiple vehicles—including two bikes, a car, and an auto-rickshaw. One of the victims, Rahul Jagannath Khatpe (32), a security guard at Sinhgad College, died on the spot. Another individual, biker Dayavar Hussein Sarwar (45), sustained injuries. The truck driver, identified as Sanjay Shrimant Birajdar (36) from Karnataka’s Gulbarga district, has been booked by the police.
A day prior, on Friday around 7 AM, yet another fatality occurred on the Wadgaon Flyover when a truck struck Kiran Pavanoji Gawade-Patil (36), a Karvenagar resident and private company employee. The truck driver fled the scene following the incident. Kiran succumbed to his injuries at the scene, and a case has since been filed.
Data from the traffic department reveals that over the last five months, this stretch has witnessed at least five serious accidents, resulting in six deaths. The segment between Daripul and Navale Bridge is particularly notorious due to sharp curves and unchecked speeding by heavy vehicles.
While the authorities have implemented safety measures such as speed breakers, rumble strips, and cautionary signage, reckless driving—particularly by trucks—remains a pressing issue. Police officials are now calling for more rigorous enforcement and enhanced surveillance to curb these recurring tragedies.
