Mumbai bikers raise alarm over slippery Bhandup flyover stretch after repeated accidents

The slippery spot below the EEH flyover where vehicular mishaps happen. PICS/ASHISH RAJE

Bikers have stated that a spot under the flyover of the Eastern Express Highway section near the Bhandup pumping junction is often slick with a murky liquid, claiming two-wheeler riders slip and fall while executing U-turns at the spot. Riders allege that the situation has been prevalent for years, and is an issue of keeping the roads clean rather than a road infrastructure problem.

Salahuddin Shaik, a two- wheeler rider and Bhandup resident, said, "We have been seeing many accidents here. Watery waste from garbage trucks leaks onto the road, and this mixes with dirt to create a slippery layer that causes accidents."

A hawker, requesting anonymity, said, "It is not only the garbage, but also oil that leaks out of the trucks as they slow down here to take a turn. The traffic police always put up barricades, but it doesn't make a difference. With the monsoon arriving, the road will be even more dangerous if it is not cleaned. We have faith that the civic body will do the work once it is brought to its attention."

mid-day reached out to the BMC to learn what steps were being taken to avert tragedy at the spot, but didn't receive a reply by press time.

Going viral

On Sunday, Shaik took to the social media platform Instagram to post a video after a father and son on a two-wheeler slipped and fell off their vehicle at the spot. "In a span of two to three minutes, we saw three accidents, first the father and son, then another guy on a bike, and then a couple."

The slippery spot below the Eastern Express Highway flyover where vehicular mishaps often take place. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

In the video, Shaik is seen telling the couple to slow down right as they slipped and fell. While no one has been seriously injured at the junction, Shaik is still concerned. "It is only a matter of time before a life is lost here if things don't change. We just want the civic authorities to clean the road to prevent such an occurrence," he said.

Police Speak

A traffic cop posted at the junction said, "We have always been wary of the spot. In the past, we have called the fire department to lay mud on the surface of the stretch as a temporary measure. We barricade the spot time and again, but riders are the ones who move them to make U-turns."