45,575 Traffic Violations Registered By Pune RTO In 7 Months; Activists Call For Stronger Road Discipline

The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has recorded a staggering 45,575 cases of traffic violations between April and October 2025, highlighting the growing menace of reckless driving and violation of traffic norms.

According to official data, the highest number of offences were related to riding without helmets (10,776 cases), followed by vehicles without valid insurance (5,439 cases) and failure to carry Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates (5,800 cases). The RTO also booked 4,003 vehicles for fitness issues, while 1,486 vehicles were penalised for fancy registration numbers.

Other common violations included wrong parking (1,053 cases), dangerous driving and driving on the wrong side (754), use of mobile phones while driving (1,316) and triple-seat riding (875), among many others.

Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy RTO, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said the figures reflect both increased surveillance and continued public indiscipline. “We have intensified checks through mobile units, speed guns and CCTV surveillance across key junctions. However, many citizens still ignore basic safety measures like helmets and seat belts,” he said.

Hemant Kushwaha, a road safety expert, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “Traffic rules are being implemented strictly in some areas like Shivajinagar, but in suburbs like Kothrud and Hadapsar, violations often go unchecked. If rules are enforced uniformly and fines are transparent, people will take the law more seriously.”

Santosh Zine, a daily commuter, highlighted that despite repeated awareness campaigns, people continue to flout norms. “These numbers show that fines alone are not enough. There needs to be a behavioural change through continuous education. Schools, colleges and corporates must include road safety in their regular programmes. The RTO should also publish monthly dashboards to keep citizens informed,” he said.

Meenal More, another commuter, expressed, “This is just official data; there have been more cases that have been settled or not captured by the department. People need to follow the rules themselves. However, the patrolling teams should be increased to maintain law and order; collection of fines is not a solution.”