Bad road in Diva claims another motorist

Thane city has witnessed six pothole deaths between June and July this year. A treacherous death-trap in Diva claimed a seventh life on Sunday night

Thane Thane city has witnessed six pothole deaths between June and July this year. A treacherous death-trap in Diva claimed a seventh life on Sunday night.

Twenty-two-year-old Ganesh Fale was returning home after filling petrol in his TVS Jupiter at 11 pm, driving on Diva Agasan Road, when he hit a pothole-ridden bad patch that threw him off his vehicle; a tanker coming from the opposite side hit him on the head, killing him (Praful Gangurde)

Twenty-two-year-old Ganesh Fale was returning home after filling petrol in his TVS Jupiter at 11 pm, driving on Diva Agasan Road, when he hit a pothole-ridden bad patch that threw him off his vehicle; a tanker coming from the opposite side hit him on the head, killing him.

Mumbra police have registered an FIR against the tanker driver; however, on Monday, around 50 residents and a few political leaders protested against the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) officials for failing to address this issue.

Fale, a resident of Omkar Nagar, gave up his job as an autorickshaw driver recently to start training under his father, Vitthal Fale (47), who is a gardener in a private company. The father-son duo travelled to work together, after parking the bike at the station.

The CCTV footage of Sunday shows him driving at an even pace on an uneven road on Diva Agasan Road, when seeing a tanker from the opposite side, he lost control of his vehicle. He fell to the right and came under the rear side wheel of the tanker. He was then taken to Kalwa hospital by cops from Mumbra police station where he was declared dead.

Raju Fale, the deceased’s uncle said, “As an older son, Ganesh did small jobs, trying to help his family financially. He wanted to build a good house for his father and two brothers. His cousin received a call from the police about the unfortunate incident.”

A senior officer from Mumbra police station said, “We have registered an FIR under IPC 304 A against the tanker driver. We are yet to arrest him.”

Around 300 meters of a stretch of Diva-Agasan Road is in a bad state. TMC was sanctioned funds to widen the road three years ago but a private property dispute next to the road has stalled the project. Hence, road repairs are done only temporarily. After the present incident, civic officials put gravel and sand on this uneven stretch.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA Raju Patil tweeted about the incident, while Tushar Patil, an MNS leader, said, “We have sent many letters to TMC officials to repair this road. Social workers also joined us in this endeavour. In June Raju Patil video-called the commissioner and other officials to show the condition of the road but that request was also unheard.”

Abhijeet Hirase, 33, a businessman and an eyewitness of the incident, said, “I was two vehicles behind the boy who I saw struggling on the road while riding. This road, which connects Diva to Dombivli Manpada, does not have electricity and we have to ride through the potholes. It has not been a the road for almost two years. After an accident occurs, authorities pour sand on the road.”

Assistant commissioner of TMC, Farukh Shaikh, said, “TMC’s PWD department is looking after the construction and repair work of the road. We have informed the engineer who is analysing its condition; it will be repaired soon.”

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