Safety measures should be a must at infra work sites

The issue escalated when a motorcyclist fell into an open trench; (right) Commuters say the situation on ground remains dire. Pics/By Special Arrangement

Commuters travelling along the 5.6-km Nigdi-Pimpri stretch of the Mumbai-Pune Highway continue to face severe inconvenience and safety hazards due to the ongoing Pimpri-Nigdi Metro extension, pipeline works and urban street redevelopment.

Despite repeated complaints, neither the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) nor the Maha Metro authorities have implemented adequate safety measures, leaving the service roads damaged, narrow and accident-prone, said our report.

This year's prolonged monsoon left the already-dug-up service lanes filled with potholes, causing several mishaps. Even as winter has begun, the repair work on the side roads has not been completed.

Recently, a motorcyclist fell into an open trench dug for the metro project.

While the Maha Metro has reassured that works are taken up on priority, sceptics often quite rightly ask about what exactly is meant by priority.

When road width is reduced for whatever reason, certain safe zones need to be created so that people can negotiate these stretches with some degree of safety. In fact, these works need a holistic vision at the inception stage itself. There must be strong and sufficient barricading where needed.

Potholes can surely be addressed quickly and filled up. Accidents and falls on narrow roads are doubly dangerous as vehicles find it even more difficult to avoid hitting one. An open trench in such a road is callous, and criminal, as this accident where a bikeborne person fell in showed.

Put people first. At a time when almost all roads are affected, safeguarding human life must come first. If people have to suffer accidents and even loss of life thanks to upgradation then that project is just not worth it.