In a grim reminder of the city's traffic safety crisis, vulnerable road users, primarily two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, continue to bear the brunt of fatal accidents in Nashik. They constitute a staggering over 80% of the total road fatalities recorded in the city this year, highlighting a persistent and deadly trend.
By the Numbers: A Disturbing Annual Pattern
The data paints a consistent and alarming picture. Until the end of November 2024, Nashik city registered 185 road accident deaths. Out of these, 96 victims were two-wheeler riders (52%) and 53 were pedestrians (29%). This combined 81% share is not an anomaly.
Looking back, the pattern holds firm. In the full year of 2024, 56% of the 197 deaths were two-wheeler riders, with pedestrians making up 32%. The previous year, 2023, saw 208 total fatalities, where bikers accounted for 64% and pedestrians for 27% of the lives lost.
Root Causes: Reckless Driving and Missing Infrastructure
Officials and activists point to a twin crisis driving these numbers: behavioral and infrastructural. The high frequency of accidents is largely attributed to reckless driving and excessive speeding. Compounding this is a severe deficiency in pedestrian infrastructure.
Most city roads lack dedicated footpaths. Even where footpaths exist, they are often encroached upon, forcing pedestrians to walk on busy roadways. This leaves them dangerously exposed to vehicles, especially from behind.
Ram Pawar, a senior citizen who recently moved to Nashik from Mumbai, shared his unsettling observation: "Roads in Nashik appear more risky than those in Mumbai. In Mumbai, there is a proper system for pedestrians to cross busy roads, often with manned traffic signals. But that is not the case in Nashik. Here, neither motorists seem bothered about accidentally hitting a pedestrian, nor are pedestrians overly worried about being hit."
Responses and Calls for Systemic Action
The challenge is magnified by the steady influx of vehicles. The Nashik RTO registers over 1 lakh new vehicles annually, with a whopping 70,000 being two-wheelers.
Police authorities acknowledge the issue. ACP (Crime) Sandeep Mitke stated, "The police, under the guidance of Commissioner Sandeep Karnik, are making efforts to control accidents on city streets. Various drives are conducted from time to time as part of this initiative."
However, civic activists argue for a more holistic, multi-departmental approach. Abhay Kulkarni of Nashik First Organisation, which runs the Children's Traffic Education Park, emphasized, "A large number of people die in road accidents every year. These deaths can be prevented if the government is serious. This is a common responsibility of the RTO, police, and departments like the PWD and National Highways Authority who construct and repair roads."
He also advocated for long-term change, suggesting that traffic education should be incorporated into the school syllabus, considering the high annual death toll across the state and country.
