Pune: Tourists Injured in Sinhagad Ghat Road Accident; Calls for Traffic Safety Heighten
Sinhagad, 18th December 2023: A harrowing incident unfolded on the Sinhagad Ghat road on Sunday evening as a jeep, carrying ten to twelve tourists, overturned, leaving several injured. The injured tourists were promptly admitted to a private hospital for medical treatment.
The accident has reignited concerns about traffic planning and regulation on Sinhagad Ghat road, prompting a closer examination of safety measures. The jeep, descending from the fort with twelve to fifteen tourists, overturned near the eleven thousand turn on the Sinhagad Ghat road, resulting in a mix of major and minor injuries among the passengers.
Forest department staff and other tourists played a crucial role in facilitating the injured tourists’ admission to a private hospital.
Another incident involving a jeep carrying students on a morning trip to the fort occurred near the railway station due to brake failure on a steep slope.
Fortunately, in the latter incident, a potentially disastrous outcome was averted as the jeep, facing brake failure, got stuck on the cliff. The forest department officials reported that a girl sustained injuries in this incident.
These accidents have brought to the forefront the pressing issue of life-threatening passenger traffic on Sinhagad’s perilous ghat road, particularly in outdated and malfunctioning vehicles.
Baliram Waikar, Conservator of Forests, Sinhagad, expressed concerns over the lack of action regarding passenger transport vehicle inspections. He stated, “Two passenger transport vehicles have met with an accident at different places on the Ghat Road on Sunday. Some tourists are injured and are undergoing treatment in a private hospital. We have written two times to the RTO and police administration regarding inspection of the passenger transport vehicles and taking action, but no action has been taken yet.”
As the injured tourists receive medical care and authorities investigate the circumstances leading to the accidents, the incidents underscore the urgency of comprehensive safety measures on Sinhagad Ghat road to prevent future mishaps.
