A day after FPJ reported that a cyclist suffered injuries and BMC stating that it had taken cognisance of the problem and fixed it, cyclists on Friday took and shared pics of tyre (wheel's tube) still going inside the narrowed gap. They said that the narrowed gap was not fixed properly as it could lead to the tyre getting badly stuck and not coming out easily leading to a dangerous situation. Sharing photos of various spots across the city where iron grill drains are laid vertically in the direction of traffic, cyclists questioned why they cannot be avoided being placed horizontally or any other option be looked at as these pose serious risk to them.
Gap still exists, BMC fixes only one side of gap
"My friend went today morning and the gap still exists. It was also stupid of them to fix one side of the gap in the grill and leave the other side close to the wall as it is. One may not go that side but cyclists normally try to squeeze from the left-most side to avoid traffic and for safety. Why can they just not have a mesh type of grill everywhere? I had a good quality helmet so I was saved. What if someone does not have that?," said Premal Vashani, the cyclist who met with an accident.
Cyclists said that the tyre going inside - as shared by them in the picture - happened when no one was sitting on the bicycle else it could get stuck badly. "The gap is narrow enough that a tyre could get badly stuck and not even come out easily. Anything can happen in such a situation. Why are you even creating such a dangerous situation is what I want to ask the BMC?," questioned Amrish Vora who tweeted.
Cyclist narrates harrowing experience
Cyclist Nihar Mehta who suffered a serious fall and was out of action for over a month with a fracture to his neck said that it is not just the grills but also the gap between expansion joints that need to be taken care of besides the bad road condition. "After the road was made, I went on top of Amar Mahal junction flyover. There is one spot where the joint is not fixed with the rubberised material they fix such joints. My cycle got stuck and I fell on my face. I had bleeding through my nose, and the jerk caused a hairline fracture to my neck," said Mehta, a Juhu resident who met with an accident in November 2022.
"Since then, I cycle in a group and not alone as I used to do. It took nearly over a month to recover and I was immobile. With increase in cycle usage, they should look into the matter," he added. Ravi Agarwal, another cyclist who has been taking up issues with the BMC said they have been responding to the spots that are pointed out but it is still not in the policy decision. "There were similar grills near Chowpatty. I brought it to their notice and they made it horizontal. The assistant municipal commissioner said the contractor of the road department does it. They said that it is to ensure that water goes into and they can clean. However, it is not in their policy to put it in a way that there is no problem. Near Lilavati, they have just done the road and some grills placed vertically with wide gaps can be found there. Same is the case at SCLR," said Agarwal who plans to give spots where such grills exist.
Will look into the issue, says official
When FPJ contacted, P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects), said, "There seems to be some gap. We will look into it." When asked about the policy to have vertically placed drains over horizontal ones or those that ensure tyres do not get stuck, he said, "We will look into the issue and decide further course of action."
Pictures shared by cyclists as well as similar risky grill drains across city below:
Tyre still going into the narrower gap fixed by BMC post accident on B G Kher Marg leading to Kemps Corner from Hanging Garden. |
Other side of the same iron grill where accident occurred not fixed by BMC. |
Gap in the expansion joints on the Amar Mahal flyover |
On Peddar Road climb near Mahalakshmi / Cadbury junction |
Opposite Sion Hospital |
Under Lalbaug flyover |
Dadabhai Road, Vile Parle |
