The Thane city police recorded a 23% increase in deaths and 91% in injuries—whether serious or minor—within the jurisdiction of the Thane Police Commissionerate from January to December 2024. In the previous year, there were 21% deaths and 92% injuries reported in road accidents.
In 2024, the Thane city police registered a total of 922 accident cases, resulting in 215 deaths and 840 serious injuries within the commissionerate’s jurisdiction. Comparatively, 940 accident cases were recorded in 2023, leading to 200 deaths and 865 injuries, according to data from the Thane Traffic Department.
This marks a rise of 15 fatal accidents compared to the previous year.
Despite several awareness campaigns on traffic and road safety conducted by social organizations and the traffic police, many motorists continue to disregard the Motor Vehicle Act, often speeding and violating road rules.
Accident Hotspots Identified
It was observed that despite multiple efforts by various social organizations and police authorities to make the city accident-free, fatal and serious accidents continue to rise.
Narpoli Police Station (Bhiwandi) reported 96 accidents in 2024, resulting in 42 deaths and 61 injuries. Police sources attributed this to reckless driving by heavy vehicle operators traveling between Thane, Kasheli, Kalher, Bhiwandi, Dapode, and Mankoli, where warehouses are located.
Manpada Police Station (Dombivli) recorded 70 accidents, leading to 17 deaths and 59 injuries. The heavy urbanization along the Kalyan-Manpada Road has led to an increase in motorcycles, with many riders speeding to reach their destinations, resulting in accidents.
Kapurbawadi Police Station (Thane) reported 47 accidents, causing 10 deaths and 51 injuries in 2024.
Nizampura Police Station (Bhiwandi) recorded 15 accidents, with 10 deaths and 6 injuries in 2024.
Traffic Police Urge Caution
Thane DCP (Traffic) Pankaj Shirsat highlighted a sharp rise in road accidents in Bhiwandi's Narpoli and Dombivli's Manpada areas. Despite ongoing infrastructure development, authorities have installed multiple notices and banners warning motorists with messages such as "Go Slow - Work in Progress."
"Two-wheelers are often driven recklessly and are seen overtaking heavy vehicles. Many fatal biker accidents occurred because riders were not wearing helmets, even if they owned one," said Shirsat.
He further noted that pedestrians using mobile phones while crossing roads often fail to check for oncoming traffic, leading to accidents. Additionally, motorists driving on the wrong side to reach their destinations faster have caused numerous fatalities among both pedestrians and motorists.
"The primary reasons for these mishaps are rash driving, not following traffic rules, lane-cutting, and reckless overtaking," he added.