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

Aditya Bala Subramanian with his parents

The stretch of Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway near Charoti bridge, Palghar, where Cyrus Mistry died on Sunday, is a chronic accident spot with frequent mishaps and deaths, especially of bikers. mid-day reached out to families of two, including a 19-year-old bike vlogger, who lost their lives here. The vlogger's father Bala Subramanian said as per cops, his son Aditya was crushed by a dumper last September, but the accused was never caught. He even checked CCTV footage from the area, but to no avail.

Also read: Cyrus Mistry death: Cops to collect car data

As part of its campaign, United Superbikers Club shared a map of the accident-prone area on social media, warning bikers of the sharp curve

As part of its investigation, mid-day also spoke to a bikers group which had run campaigns promoting safety among bikers and motorists taking the dangerous road in 2014 following a spate of deaths on this killer stretch.

‘My son never drove rashly'

Aditya Bala Subramanian, a 19-year-old vike vlogger, is among the victims who died here. While cops said Aditya got crushed by a dumper as his bike wavered while overtaking it, his parents told mid-day he never rode rashly and was always alert while driving.

The incident took place when Aditya, a Jogeshwari East resident, joined a Sunday Ride KTM team from Andheri to Palghar in September 2021. He, being a vlogger, had his helmet with a camera strapped on, but the camera went missing after the incident. The accused dumper driver has not been identified yet.

Aditya Bala Subramanian was wearing a helmet with a camera at the time of the accident but the camera went missing

His father Bala Subramanian told mid-day, "My son died at the same spot where Mistry died. I went there last year to see how my son died and learnt many have lost their lives here. There is a sudden curve here which is not visible beforehand."

"Kasa police told me he was overtaking a dumper from the left side when the bike's handle touched the dumper, bringing him under its wheels. The dumper driver allegedly fled from the spot and could not be traced. I have been looking for the killer for a year now. I know my son never drove rashly or went over the speed limit. I also checked CCTV footage from the nearby area, but all of them were too far from the spot," he said.

‘Govt needs to take steps'

Santacruz-based businessmen Omprakash Dubey and Rohit Dubey also lost their lives at this fateful spot in 2018 after their car crashed into a divider. Five others who were in the same Mahindra car were injured while the duo died on the spot. Their families said this spot has been taking so many lives, and yet no measures have been taken by the authorities to address the issue.

(From left) Omprakash Dubey, his son Shubham, and friend Rohit

Omprakash Dubey's son Shubham told mid-day, "Yesterday after I heard about Cyrus Mistry's death, I found that the accident took place at the same spot where I lost my father. When I visited the stretch after my father's death, I learnt that this spot has killed many people."

"The government should take action and put in place measures to deter accidents. They should install rumble strips and safety signboards. They should also keep an ambulance service in the area so that accident victims can be attended to fast," he added.

Sunday campaigns

United Superbikers Club, a Daman-based group, after noticing the frequent accidents and deaths of bikers, conducted a test drive on the stretch and then held Sunday campaigns there in 2014. They also installed rumble strips and signboards, with the help of local authorities, to warn motorists.

Abhishek Chowdhury, who handles the Mumbai part of the group, said, "In 2014, there were frequent accidents on this stretch, so we ran a campaign there. Every Sunday we would drive there and stand on the road, instructing drivers and bikers to reduce speed. We also kept ambulances there so that in case of accidents, those injured get immediate help."

Speaking on why so many accidents take place here, he said, "Both sides of this spot are dangerous, and there are sudden turns. The road is uphill with a sharp curve, which makes it difficult for bikers. The abrupt elevation is due to bad road engineering, but a little precaution can save lives."