Mumbai: Motorists vent ire over risky highway after Cyrus Mistry’s death

A heavy vehicle on the right lane near the Gujarat RTO check post on the Mumbai-Ahemdabad Highway, on August 18. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The death of former Tata Group chief Cyrus Mistry in a car crash on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway has renewed the clamour for better maintenance of the busy carriageway. Corroborating the findings by mid-day during a test drive on the arterial road last month, motorists took to social media to vent their frustration over the risky driving conditions on the busy road.

Mistry and another person died after the Mercedes they were travelling in hit a divider on a bridge over the Surya river, just 1 km ahead of Charoti toll plaza, on Sunday afternoon. At this point, the three-lane highway merges to become two. During mid-day's test drive between Mumbai and Vapi on August 18, motorists said a lot of vehicles flout road safety rules, at times out of compulsions due to the pothole-ridden stretch.

Also read: Sharp turns, lack of CCTV cameras make a killer spot on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway

"It's an accident. On Ahmedabad-Mumbai Highway there are many narrow bridges, where suddenly 3 lane becomes 2 lane and if driver is new before he realises change of lanes, it becomes impossible to control [sic]," tweeted Sanjay Baid Jain. Vehicles, including multi-axle goods carriers, switch lanes all the time, said motorists, putting everyone at risk.

"The condition of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway is not good. The truck driver does not follow any lane. He continues over Dadagiri Road. They don't follow any traffic rules. The truck driver forces the car driver to drive from the wrong side. Due to which accidents happen [sic]," wrote Vijay Shankar on the microblogging platform.

Truck drivers told mid-day that it was unfair to put the entire blame on them. They said potholes left them with no option but to cut lanes. Twitter user Vijay Mohan wrote, "Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway is in total shambles, NHAI officials and IRB are least bothered maintenance and safety measures of NH-8, they should give answers."

Amol Satham tweeted, "Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway is one of the worst in terms of heavy vehicles continuously blocking the highway. High penalties should be there for them." Speeding is another concern of motorists.

As per the Highway Traffic Police Department, 62 people have died in 262 accidents between Ghodbunder and Talsari border on the highway so far this year. While the mishaps left 78 grievously injured, 73 escaped with minor injuries.

Hours after Mistry's death, Congress's Satyajeet Tambe tweeted, "Today morning my brother-in-law @sapanparikh18 who regularly travels on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway was telling me about the bad condition of the road on both Maharashtra as well as Gujrat side of highway. And now, I get this unfortunate news about #CyrusMistry."

Jainam Mehta, another road user, posted, "The entire stretch of Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway is in a poor condition. The major part of the road is covered in potholes. This NH 48 route is one of India's most used/commuted highways and yet it's in such a vulnerable state. Pathetic infrastructure. RIP #CyrusMistry."