Pimpri-Chinchwad: It has been revealed that school buses and vans in Pimpri-Chinchwad often drive recklessly and break traffic norms. Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate's (PCPC) Traffic Branch has cracked down heavily on them. Since the start of the year 2025 until now, a total of ₹7.39 lakh has been collected in fines, according to the traffic branch.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Vivek Patil said, "It has been observed that vehicles, including buses, eco vans, and auto rickshaws, are driving dangerously, risking the lives of school students. With collaboration from the RTO, they have sent their four flying squads for our help. Punitive action is strictly taken once found guilty."
According to traffic branch numbers, the following are the violations in 2025 alone:
- School Buses Investigated – 170
- Actions on School Buses – 77
- School Vans/Auto Rickshaws Investigated – 157
- Actions on School Vans/Auto Rickshaws – 128
- Total Fines Collected – ₹7.39 lakh
Why Are School Vehicles in the Spotlight Again?
On September 24, a disturbing case was reported in Pimpri-Chinchwad where a school van belonging to Jai Hind Primary School was caught speeding dangerously at 80–90 km/h with students inside. Not only was the speed excessive, but the van was also changing lanes rapidly, endangering the lives of the students inside and people outside.
All of this was captured on video. In the video, it can be seen that the van driver brazenly dismissed concerns raised by parents and bystanders. It sparked alarm across social media and drew police attention. This incident led to enhanced traffic checks on school vans and buses. After public outrage, police inspections across several Pimpri-Chinchwad areas also increased, resulting in action against multiple unsafe school vehicles in the region. Following this, the traffic branch released figures of actions taken on school vehicles, showing their commitment.
Traffic Branch Manages to Collect ₹25 Crore in Pending Fines in 2025
According to sources within the traffic branch, since the start of this year, police have managed to collect ₹25.02 crore in pending fines. A traffic official noted, "In this, lots of school buses and school vans are included too. Although the exact number is not known, these vehicles have been breaking traffic rules for years. Residents have always complained about their unruliness." Sources also said that a total of 3,27,437 cases of pending fines were resolved.
According to sources, in Pimpri-Chinchwad, over ₹211 crore in traffic fines are pending against nearly 24 lakh violations as of September 2025. Recovery of these fines is important to strengthen road safety and discipline. It helps ensure that offenders are held accountable and discouraged from repeating violations. Experts also note that the collected fines help fund civic and traffic infrastructure improvements. It signals that law enforcement is effective. Strict recovery also prevents habitual offenders from escaping legal consequences.
Parents Raise Concerns
Suhasini Bhagat, a resident of Pimple Gurav, said, "My son's school is in Wakad. We paid a lot of money for the school vans to transport him daily. They are always late, and to make up for the time, they drive recklessly. It’s concerning for me and my husband. We can drop him to school every morning, but due to our work, we cannot pick him up in the afternoon. This should change."
Devashish Banerjee, a resident of Hinjawadi, said, "My children's school is in Baner. I have an elder daughter and a younger son. The van driver drives recklessly, as my daughter has complained many times. My son enjoys it though. The children rarely complain, but they don’t know about their safety, do they?"
