Nanded Sees 24.38% Drop In Road Accidents In 2026 Due To Strict RTO Enforcement

Nanded: A series of strict enforcement measures and targeted road safety initiatives by the Transport Department have led to a significant decline in road accidents and fatalities in the district in 2026 compared to 2025, Deputy Regional Transport Officer Prashant Kankrej informed.

According to officials, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has intensified action against traffic violations such as speeding and drunk driving. Interceptor vehicles equipped with radar cameras are actively monitoring roads, penalising offenders for speeding, not wearing seatbelts, triple riding, and riding without helmets.

Data analysis revealed that the majority of accidents occurred between 6 and 9 pm. In a focused effort to curb accidents, a team of 32 RTO officials conducted a detailed tehsil-wise survey across all 16 tehsils of Nanded district between February and March 2025.

The survey included geo-tagging of accident-prone spots and on-ground assessment to identify key causes. Based on the findings, tehsil-level officials submitted detailed reports with recommended measures to Collector Rahul Kardile, who also chairs the District Road Safety Committee. Acting on these reports, the Collector directed all concerned departments to immediately implement the suggested safety measures.

As a result, fatal accidents in the district have declined by 24.38 per cent up to February 2026 compared to the previous year. Additionally, the death rate due to accidents during January and February 2026 has dropped by around 15.85 per cent year-on-year.

Between January and February 2025, a total of 160 accidents were reported in Nanded district, resulting in 82 deaths. During the same period in 2026, the number of accidents declined to 121, with 69 deaths reported. Moreover, a total of 4,896 challans were issued from January to March this year.

Deputy Regional Transport Officer Prashant Kankrej stated in a press release that enforcement will be further strengthened through flying squads and interceptor teams, especially targeting heavy vehicles and traffic violators. He added that increasing public awareness about road safety will remain a key focus area to sustain and improve these gains.