One killed, 2 injured after cement mixer truck hits 2 vehicles on EEH

According to the police, the incident happened when the cement mixer truck was heading to Chembur from Sion. The truck first hit the biker, Abdul Salam Rauf Shaikh, 30, who was standing at the spot and later hit another parked vehicle injuring two persons Suraj Shigvan, 23, and Andul Wahid Siddhique, 30

Mumbai: A biker was killed and two others injured after a speeding cement mixer truck hit two vehicles on Eastern Express Highway (EEH) at Everard Nagar in Chunabhatti on Sunday morning.

Mumbai, India - July 09, 2023 : A Major accident on Eastern Express Highway in Cement Mixer and Van and 2 wheeler Bike on this accident 2 people Injured and 1 Dead at Chunabhatti, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, July 09, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

According to the police, the incident happened when the cement mixer truck was heading to Chembur from Sion.

The truck first hit the biker, Abdul Salam Rauf Shaikh, 30, who was standing at the spot and later hit another parked vehicle injuring two persons Suraj Shigvan, 23, and Andul Wahid Siddhique, 30.

All of them were taken to Sion Hospital, where Shaikh was declared brought dead. Shigvan sustained fibular fracture, while Siddhique suffered pelvic diastasis and femur fracture.

A resident doctor from Sion hospital said, “Both patients are stable.”

The Chunabhatti police have registered a case against the mixer truck driver Riyan Mohammad Ali, 29, under the charges of 279 (Rash driving), 304 (a) (causing death by negligence), 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian penal code (IPC) along with 184 (driving dangerously), 134 (a) (b) of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Hemraj Rajput, deputy commissioner of police (zone 6), said Ali has been taken into custody and will be arrested in the case.

Meanwhile, Kaptan Malik, former Kurla corporator, alleged that the stretch where the accident occurred was recently laid down using mastic asphalt, causing many motorbikes to skid on the slippery road.

Malik said that the tragedy could have been averted as a letter had already been sent to L ward on July 3 informing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about the vehicle slips and overturns, causing traffic disruptions. Malik said that the BMC has opened a new highway cell under which road works on the EEH were taken up.

“For 8-10 days, about 12 motorbikes have been skidding due to the mastic asphalt road daily. One biker died. I wrote to L Ward but I was told there is a new highway cell in the BMC’s roads department. They did not take my complaint seriously. Otherwise this accident could have been averted,” Malik said.

Malik in his letter dated July 3 had stated, “The mastication of the said asphalting is causing two to three vehicle slips and overturns every day, causing damage to the vehicles and causing a lot of traffic disruption. At such places, concerned officials should inspect the masticated tarmac and put gravel on it or scraping on the mastic should be done so that accidents do not occur.”

Malik added that if the mastic asphalting on EEH is not scrapped in the next 24 hours, there would be a massive protest on the EEH.

When contacted a senior civic official, he said that the chief engineer(roads) would know about the road as he was not informed by anyone of the slippery patch by mastic asphalt. “We will get it checked,” he added.

P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects), there is no role of mastic surface in the accident. As per the FIR, the accident occurred during no entry time for heavy vehicles and due to negligence of the driver.