Motorcycle rider dies after RMC truck falls on him in Navale Bridge area

Pune: A 31-year-old motorcycle rider died after a ready-mix concrete (RMC) truck fell on him around 12.30am on Wednesday on a service road of the Katraj Dehu Road bypass, beneath the accident-prone Navale Bridge.

The deceased has been identified as Rameshwar Machindra Bhogle, a resident of Katraj. The RMC truck driver, Gorakh Ransure (50) of Loni Kalbhor, suffered injuries and has been admitted to a private hospital.

The incident once again threw into focus the ever-present risk of fatal accidents on the killer stretch, where many such reports have emerged in the last few years, drawing sharp criticism against authorities for futile efforts to improve safety for motorists here.

On the latest accident, inspector Ishwar Chavan of the Narhe police said, “The RMC truck was heading towards Warje from Katraj Chowk and took a right turn at a traffic signal beneath Navale Bridge. The truck driver informed us that the signal was green. However, he lost control of the wheel while negotiating the turn.”

He added, “At this moment, Bhogle was riding towards Bavdhan from Katraj on his motorcycle. As the truck fell on its side, Bhogle came under the heavy vehicle.”

The officer informed, “Bhogle was employed as a bouncer at an eatery in Katraj, and went home after it shut for the day. He went out later on his motorcycle to meet a friend in Bavdhan. This is when the accident took place in the Navale Bridge area.”

“There is a continuous slope towards Navale Bridge from Katraj Chowk. Heavy vehicles tend to travel at a high speed in the night hours and, at times, this causes accidents,” Chavan said.