Pune: The city police on Monday arrested the driver of the truck, a day after it hit several vehicles on a Mumbai-Bengaluru highway stretch in Pune and caused a pile-up. Preliminary investigation suggested the driver had switched off the engine on a bridge slope resulting in the accident, officials said. Police also arrested the driver's assistant from Pimpri Chinchwad township, an official said.
At least 48 vehicles were damaged on Sunday after a massive accident took place on the Pune-Bengaluru highway. The truck hit multiple vehicles on the downward slope of Navale bridge on the highway in Pune, injuring more than 20 people, eight of them hospitalised, an official had said. "The driver of the truck, Maniram Yadav, and his assistant, Lalit Yadav, were arrested from Chakan area of Pimpri Chinchwad neighbouring Pune," said Shailesh Sankhe, senior police inspector. Both of them hail from Madhya Pradesh.
"The probe by the RTO indicates that the truck driver might have switched off the engine by turning off the ignition while on the slope. If the engine is switched off, it affects the vehicle's braking ability. That is how the truck might have gone hitting the vehicles on the slope," Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Pawar said. The truck was from Tamil Nadu and was heavily loaded with some goods, he said.
Meanwhile, officials from the police department, Pune civic body, and the National Highway Authority of India met on Monday to chalk out mitigating measures following the accident. "After yesterday's accident, officials of the police, Pune Municipal Corporation and NHAI visited the spot to see what measures can be taken to avoid such incidents," city police commissioner Amitabh Gupta said.
"Accident figures had dipped in the last six months due to continuous measures. But, after yesterday's incident, we discussed the implementation of more measures on the spot. There are some long terms measures such as reducing the road gradient on the stretch. We also discussed what short-term measures can be taken," Gupta said. The plan for short-term measures will be ready in two days and, by Friday, the police, civic and NHAI officials will see how these can be implemented. "Measures such as putting rumblers (grooves or indents), and removing encroachments will be implemented to minimize accidents," he added. (With Agency inputs)
