11 September,2024 11:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
The main road in Aarey has no footpaths and has forested areas on both sides, posing a risk to both pedestrians and animals. Pic/Anurag Ahire
The spate of accidents in Aarey Milk Colony has continued with the latest incident occurring on September 11 morning as a rickshaw collided with a bike. The driver of the rickshaw was seriously injured. The video showed him lying down on the road while the people around him tried to move his vehicle to the side.
As seen in the video, the rickshaw suffered heavy damage, including a broken windshield and other parts. The roof of the rickshaw was crushed because of the impact.
The motorist was also injured in the accident and rushed to the hospital; however, the extent of injuries sustained by them and which hospital they have been taken to is yet to be ascertained.
Recently an accident occurred at Aarey Milk Colony's Picnic Point early Saturday morning, killing three people. Radhesham Ashok Dawande (34), Vivek Lalman Rajbhar (24), and Ritesh Shivaji Salve (27) were riding a bike with a triple seat when they crashed with a light pole. Despite being transported to a neighbouring hospital, two were pronounced dead upon arrival, while the third died from injuries while being admitted.
This event is the fourth fatality on the same road in Aarey colony in three days. Senior PI Jagdish Deshmukh claimed that the cause of the collision is still unknown, and it is uncertain whether drunk driving played a role.
Locals are pressing authorities to intervene, stressing the necessity for speed bumps to prevent such accidents. In a second instance, a leopard was injured by a rickshaw on Aarey Road Friday night and escaped into the forest. Authorities were alerted, and a search was started, but the huge cat has yet to be spotted.
Following recent accidents on the main Aarey road that resulted in four fatalities and one leopard being struck by an auto, the forest department plans to write to traffic police, BMC and the Aarey CEO's office, urging them to install speed-breakers and speed restrictions.
Range Forest Officer Narendra Muthe from Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) earlier told mid-day, "We will be writing a letter to BMC, Mumbai Traffic Police and Aarey CEO Office, requesting them to install speed breakers and rumblers on the main Aarey Milk Colony road along accident-prone areas to curb accidents. We have noticed that during late night and early morning hours, motorists drive at a very high speed along this road and this poses a threat to wild animals crossing the road. Having speed breakers, rumblers and speed restrictions on the main Aarey Milk Colony road is the need of the hour."
