Illegal parking on Mum-Agra highway flyover claims 6 lives

Nashik: There have been six deaths so far this year due to stationary vehicles on the flyover of the Mumbai-Agra Highway in the city even as police claim that they are patrolling the stretch continuously.The latest victim was a 21-year-old biker, who slammed into a stationary vehicle on the flyover. In May, a 29-year-old woman and her daughter were killed after their car was hit by a container truck on the flyover. Similar accidents were reported in March, February and January as well.“While driving towards Mumbai, I take the flyover of the highway from Dwarka. I regularly come across vehicles that are halted on the side of the road. The speed of vehicles is high and motorists assume that the road is free from any obstructions. However, if a motorist following a heavy vehicle suddenly switches lanes to overtake the truck in front of him and if there is a vehicle halted on the roadside, the motorist is taken by surprise. Then it depends on the luck of the motorist whether he meets with an accident or not,” Ravi Godse, an entrepreneur said. The city police claim illegal halting of vehicles on the flyover is largely responsible for accidents on the elevated corridor of the highway. Commissioner of Police Ankush Shinde said, “I have advised the traffic branch to take serious cognizance of illegal halting of motorists on the flyover in view of the accidents. The traffic police will be patrolling the flyover and will appeal motorists to not halt their vehicles. If there is any mechanical issue with the vehicle, commuters should contact police for further help. I also appeal to motorists to put up warning triangles or reflectors in order to alert other motorists on the flyover that they are approaching a stationary vehicle.”