Mumbai: There has been an alarming rise in the number of bike accidents on the Vashi-Koparkhairane bridge because of potholes improperly filled with bitumen and loose gravels that make bikes slip.
These potholes, which reappear in a couple of days, has been laeding to a huge traffic jam on the busy bridge in the peak office hours, said an official. A permanent solution to the pothole problem could be beneficial to avert road accidents and control traffic.
The potholes, which made a comeback on the Vashi-Koparkhairane bridge soon after the first few lashes of rain, were under repairs after the authority was filling it with bitumen and sand.
These repairs, however, were put on hold after the moderate showers in October. The roads with bitumen-filled potholes led to slippery roads. An official said, the bikers, who came speeding on the bridge, slipped due the pothole filling and sustained injuries.
"If the road continues to be slippery, it is simply an invitation for dangerous accidents, which could turn fatal. The only option to keep this at bay is to get rid of the potholes once and for all with good and sustainable material," police said.
A 28-year-old electrical engineer, who is a Vashi resident, travels daily from the Vashi-Koparkhairane bridge, which has given him a long-term backache.
He said, "I have to practically dodge major potholes on the uneven road, which has given me a nightmarish backache. No matter how hard I try, I stumble upon at least five potholes, which makes the journey painful.
Since there is no other way to reach my office in Koparkhairane, I am bound to take the bridge and suffer due to the apathy of the authorities.'
While the pothole-ridden bridge not only poses a threat to the bikers, it has turned into a traffic mess during peak rush hour on a daily basis.
The distance which could be easily be covered in 15 minutes, takes over 40 minutes to travel. This traffic menace during the morning peak hours proves to be a rather bad start to the day. In order to curb the traffic snarl, a permanent solution to the pothole problem is a must, an official said.
