Pune: Altogether 12 accidents involving PMPML buses, claiming 13 lives and leaving several others injured, have been reported between April and Oct this year, raising serious concerns over passenger safety.Buses operated by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) were involved in 12 accidents between April and Oct in 2025–26, resulting in 15 fatalities, according to a recent data. During the corresponding period in 2024–25, the transport body recorded 15 accidents and 16 deaths.Across the entire 2025–26 financial year, PMPML reported 22 accidents and 25 deaths, down slightly from 25 accidents and 29 fatalities in 2024–25.
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Daily commuters have flagged rampant reckless driving, signal jumping, and dangerous overtaking by bus drivers, demanding urgent intervention from the public transport body.A senior Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) official said the majority of these accidents involve buses operated by private contractors. “In the current financial year’s April–Oct period, 10 accidents involved contractor-operated buses, compared to just two involving PMPML-owned vehicles,” the official said. During the corresponding period last year, contractor buses were responsible for 11 accidents, while PMPML-owned buses accounted for only one.Out of PMPML’s total fleet of 2,096 buses, the transport body owns just 650, while private contractors operate the remaining 1,446. While the sheer volume of contractor-operated buses partly explains the higher accident numbers, officials point to systemic gaps in maintenance and driver management.“Despite mandatory training, private contractors frequently change their workforce. Drivers often leave for better opportunities and are replaced immediately, raising serious questions about the adequacy of background checks and vetting,” the official added. “PMPML-employed drivers tend to be more accountable because they hold permanent, secure jobs. The same level of stability and accountability is lacking among contractual staff.”The ongoing safety crisis came to the fore again on Monday when eight people were injured after a PMPML bus driver lost control on the Satara Road BRT corridor while trying to avoid a pedestrian who suddenly stepped onto the lane.To mitigate the issue, PMPML chairman and Managing Director Mahesh Awhad recently announced that 1,000 new CNG buses being inducted into the fleet will be equipped with AI-enabled dash cameras and driver-facing CCTV cameras to monitor behavioral anomalies. However, commuters questioned the limited scope of the initiative, pointing out that more than 2,000 existing buses will continue to operate without any surveillance.“What good is surveillance in only 1,000 new buses when the existing fleet remains unmonitored?” asked Samarth Joshi, a daily commuter from Hadapsar. “Drivers frequently talk on mobile phones and jump signals. We need comprehensive coverage.”Kartik Dixit, a resident of Camp, recounted witnessing a bus blatantly jump a traffic signal on the busy Tilak Road last week. Meanwhile, Pramod Aute, a bank employee from Kothrud, recalled a close shave on Senapati Bapat Road when an electric bus overtook his two-wheeler from the wrong side at high speed. “Had I been just an inch closer, I could have lost my life. Does PMPML actually train its drivers?” Aute asked.Awhad told TOI that surveillance equipment could be extended to the existing fleet depending on the success of the pilot phase in the new buses.“Comprehensive training for all 4,000 drivers is conducted twice a year, and their heavy vehicle licenses and badges are strictly verified by the RTO,” Awhad said. “Not every accident is the driver’s fault. For instance, in Monday’s incident, the driver had to apply emergency brakes to save a woman’s life. However, whenever an internal inquiry establishes a driver’s negligence, they are invariably removed from duty.”
