Sheets of terror found across Mumbai

An improperly fitted iron sheet is seen on the WEH, in Goregaon East, on Monday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

There are multiple blind spots across the city, particularly in the western suburbs, where the authority has placed heavy iron sheets instead of repairing the roads, making them accident-prone for motorcyclists, finds mid-day during a test drive on Monday. The sheets are slippery and riders often lose balance. Many such dangerous patches were found on the Western Express Highway, SV and Link roads.

Just last week, an 18-year-old woman was crushed under a dumper truck after the bike she was riding pillion on slipped on an iron sheet Santacruz-Chembur Link road.

During the drive on Monday, mid-day spotted more such spots and witnessed how dangerous the sheets were for the motorcyclists, as they navigated the busy roads. The roads were also uneven, made even worse by improperly placed sheets or manhole covers.

Manhole covers, placed on the road at Kandivli West, are seen on Monday. Pic/Anurag Ahire; (right) an iron sheet has been placed on a patch of road before Haji Ali Junction

mid-day found the biggest sheet on Monday near Hub Mall on Western Express Highway (WEH). A similar iron sheet was found outside the main gate of Piramal Nagar at SV road, Goregaon West. A manhole cover installed on the road at Kandivli Link road, under the Metro line, was completely damaged.

Hub Mall highway

Viraj Ghanekar, who is a senior executive at a pharmaceutical company, commutes on the north-bound side of the WEH daily.

"The iron sheets have no use, and are instead dangerous for riders like me. I have faced major troubles, as tyres slip on the sheet whenever I apply brakes. In monsoon, particularly, the sheets become even more risky, because they don't have a grip. We need a better and safer option for daily commuters."

Kandivli New Link Rd

The Kandivli Link road at Lalji Pada is completely damaged and uneven, and the cover of the water line connection is also completely damaged. Kandivli resident Ganesh Mapuskar, who works at a financial service firm, said, "This road is completely damaged, uneven and dangerous. I take it to meet my clients, and have seen many people slip and fall at this spot. The authorities are just playing with the lives of innocent people. It should be fixed."

Borivli link road

On the link road at BBC signal in Borivli West, there is a metal cover. Pratik Kedar, who is a technical sales engineer, said, "I travel from Borivli to Andheri via the link road daily, and have to be extra careful while crossing such patches. I have personally witnessed people falling on the patch at BBC signal. In the rainy season, when I apply brakes to slow down the bike, it slips. These patches are for starting and stopping the water supply which is below the road. It can be built on the side of the road, near the footpath, too. It can save the lives of the riders."

SV Road at Piramal Nagar

Thousands of vehicles cross the road and the sheet shakes throughout, and is slippery.

Commuter Lalit Jayakar said, "Due to traffic on the highway, I take SV road till Jogeshwari while travelling to office. This spot is too dangerous and I had fallen down here last week. Luckily, I didn't sustain any injuries, as I was wearing a helmet. The sheet isn't fixed at one place and slips. It should be changed immediately."

Aarey Milk Kendra main gate

The Churchgate-bound road on the Western Express Highway, near the main gate of Aarey Milk Kendra, is accident prone. Naresh Gaddam, a Vile Parle resident who works at an advertising agency, told mid-day, "Six months back, I fell down at this spot from my bike and fractured my hand. This spot is too dangerous due to the slippery sheet or cover installed on the highway. It should be removed and the road should be concretised. Now, I mostly avoid this route, and whenever I have to, I am extra careful."

Near Haji Ali Junction

An iron sheet has been placed on a patch of road before Haji Ali Junction, after Mahalaxmi Temple. It has not been screwed to the road. Kunal Kamble, a resident of Lalbaug and a sales executive, said, "I have to travel a lot for my job, and my bike has slipped on this patch many times. My scooter has small wheels and they can easily glide over smooth and wet surfaces, like this sheet. It is very dangerous, and should be removed."