Crackdown On Heavy Vehicles In Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad: 4,200+ Inspected, ₹1.79 Crore Fine Recovered

The increasing number of tanker-related accidents in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad has raised serious concerns among transport authorities, with seven people losing their lives in such incidents between January and April 2026. Alarmingly, five of these fatalities were reported in April alone, coinciding with the peak summer season when the demand for water tankers and their movement across the twin cities significantly increased.

In response to the growing safety concerns, the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, has intensified its enforcement drive against heavy vehicles, particularly tankers, dumpers and other commercial transport vehicles operating on city roads.

According to official data released by the Pune RTO, a total of 4,219 heavy vehicles were inspected during the financial year 2026-27 so far, resulting in 1,506 e-challans being issued for various violations. Out of these, 693 cases have already been disposed of, and fines amounting to ₹1.79 crore have been recovered.

The previous financial year, 2025-26, witnessed even larger enforcement action. During that period, RTO officials checked 31,783 heavy vehicles and issued 11,349 e-challans. A total of 5,366 cases were disposed of, leading to fine recovery of ₹9.99 crore.

Officials said the violations commonly detected during inspections include overloading, lack of valid permits, fitness certificate violations, unauthorised modifications, reckless driving and failure to comply with road safety norms.

Speaking about the ongoing enforcement campaign, Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy Regional Transport Officer, said that the department has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards violations by heavy vehicles.

“The recent tanker-related fatalities are a matter of grave concern. The RTO has intensified inspections of heavy vehicles across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad to ensure strict compliance with transport and road safety regulations. Special drives are being conducted against overloaded vehicles, unfit tankers and operators violating permit conditions. Our objective is to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of commuters on city roads,” Bhosale said.

He further stated that enforcement teams are carrying out regular checks at major entry and exit points of the city, highways, industrial corridors and accident-prone stretches. Coordination is also being maintained with the traffic police and other enforcement agencies to identify habitual offenders and take stringent action against them.

“We appeal to heavy vehicle operators and tanker owners to ensure that their vehicles possess valid fitness certificates, permits, and insurance documents, while also adhering to prescribed speed limits and safety regulations," Bhosale added.