Place where Cyrus Mistry’s car crashed is an accident blackspot

The mangled remains of the Mercedes that Cyrus Mistry was travelling in. Pic/Hanif Patel; (inset) Deceased Cyrus Mistry, Injured Anahita Pandole, Injured Darius Pandole

Cyrus Mistry, former chairman of Tata Sons, and another person died on the spot when their Mercedes crashed into the divider on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on Sunday. Traffic police officers told mid-day the location is infamous for serious accidents, many of which led to deaths. The accident blackspot lacks any warning signs for the motorists, said officers. Travelling at night is even deadlier, with most street lights out of order.

Mistry was travelling from Gujarat to Mumbai when the accident happened just 1 km ahead of Charoti toll plaza. At this point on the flyover, built over Surya river, the three-lane highway merges to become two.

Also read: Cyrus Mistry death: Mumbai gynaecologist was driving car, say cops

The spot where the accident happened on NH48, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, on Sunday afternoon

Sources in the traffic police department told mid-day that many people have lost their lives or limb or have been bedridden permanently after meeting with an accident at this black spot.

"Many motorists lose balance, skid off the flyover and fall into the river. It happens as the three lanes coming from Gujarat narrow down to two lanes on the flyover. And if a speeding truck or car overtakes another vehicle just ahead of the flyover, the car is bound to veer towards the left, causing it to hit the divider, leading to a fatal road crash," said a traffic police officer requesting anonymity.

None of the street lamps in the area of the accident are switched on, making driving in the night time a very dangerous proposition

Officers also told mid-day that there is no CCTV camera near the accident area. Moreover, despite being an accident-prone spot, there is no signboard to warn motorists of the dangers.

On Sunday's accident, the officer said, "Though it's a matter of in-depth investigation and it would not be wise to comment at present, I suspect some vehicles might have either tried to overtake Cyrus Mistry's car, forcing the driver towards left. Or, the driver might have lost balance while suddenly entering the two-lane road."

The crushed remains of Cyrus Mistry's car. Pics/Hanif Patel

The officer said that the left side of Mercedes car is "fully damaged, as it hit the divider on the flyover. The airbags inflated, but the passengers on the rear seat could not survive."

All senior police officers as well as medical staff of Palghar district rushed to the spot after the accident around 3.30pm. The state government has ordered a high-level probe in the matter, said a source in Mantralaya.

Superintendent of Police, Palghar, Balasaheb Patil told mid-day that Mistry and Jehangir Pandole, who were in the rear seat, died on the spot. "Anahita Pandole [eminent gynaecologist] was driving the car and her husband Darius Pandole was in the co-driver's seat. They sustained injuries. Prima facie, it seems that the driver lost her judgement."

Replying to a query, Patil said whether the car was speeding is under investigation.

Palghar district's Civil Surgeon Dr Sanjay Bodade said, "Four people were brought to Kasa hospital around 3.50 pm. Mistry and Jehangir were brought dead. Prima facie, it appeared that Mistry sustained very serious head injuries, and bled through his ears. Jehangir also had head injuries. We suspect that he might have also had internal injuries."

"Anahita has fractured her left leg, while Darius's cheekbone was broken. Both the injured have been referred to Rainbow hospital in Vapi for further treatment," Bodade added.

When asked if the deceased's post-mortem will be conducted in Palghar or at J J hospital, Bodade said, "It is subject to the willingness of their relatives."

Dr Tejas Shah of Rainbow hospital told mid-day, "Both the patients [Anahita and Darius] have suffered multiple injuries to the rib and jaw, along with other fractures. We are stabilising the patients. Currently, they are in the ICU. Doctors from Reliance hospital are also on the way."

With inputs from Suraj Pandey

The 52-km stretch riddled with blackspots

Sources in the traffic police department said there are multiple accident spots on a 52-km stretch between Manor in Palghar district of Maharashtra and Achad in Gujarat on the highway. In the past 18 months, 106 people have died and 49 left permanently bedridden in around 100 accidents on the stretch, said an officer. "The roads are serpentine and the lush green in the surroundings often tempt drivers to speed, which lead to accidents," the officer added. "There are no working street lights on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, vehicles turn on their high beam lights, adversely affecting the drivers coming from the opposite direction, leading to fatal crashes."