After doctor’s pothole death, repair work on Bhiwandi road

After locals gathered to protest the death of 23-year-old Dr Neha Shaikh in an accident caused by a pothole, repair work has started on Wada-Manor Highway in Bhiwandi,

After locals gathered to protest the death of 23-year-old Dr Neha Shaikh in an accident caused by a pothole, repair work has started on Wada-Manor Highway in Bhiwandi, on Friday. Locals also ensured the contractor in charge of that road’s upkeep did not collect toll at Wada-Manor Highway.

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“We have been constantly advising the contractor to maintain the road. They have filled most of the patches and potholes with concrete,” said Patkar Rao, deputy engineer (Wada), Public Works Department (PWD). “After protests by locals, the contractor stopped repair work for a day on Thursday. On Friday, they resumed repairing those patches.”

On Wednesday night, Dr Sheikh was run over by a truck after she fell off a scooter that had hit a pothole. The driver of the truck is absconding.

Locals and volunteers from the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Shramjeevi Yuva Sanghatna have kept vigil, making sure no tolls are collected on this stretch.

“We stopped them [the contractor] from collecting toll all night on Thursday. On Friday morning, we left the spot but came to know they had resumed toll collection. We again reached the spot and let the vehicles pass without paying toll,” said Pramod Pawar, president, Shramjeevi Yuva Sanghatna.