Accidents on the Pune-Solapur Highway are down after the conversion to four-lanes from the earlier two-lanes, say officials from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Puneu00a0office. Statistics reveal that the accident rate was down by half in 2012 on the stretch, which is part of the National Highway-9.

A total of 169 accidents were reported last year, while 237 were recorded in the preceding year, a drastic reduction of 50 per cent. The improvement in safety followed the conversion of the undivided two-lane into a four-lane divided carriageway. “A total of 237 accidents were recorded in 2011 between Pune and Sholapur, while 169 were reported in 2012. This is a 50 per cent drop in mishaps. As per my observations, 20 per cent of these accidents were due to drinking and driving,” said a highly placed source from NHAI, Pune office.