Anger is boiling over in Nagpur after a tragic accident on a notoriously dangerous road stretch claimed a life, with local residents holding the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) directly responsible for what they call sheer negligence.
A Fatal Fall on a 'Death Trap'
The incident occurred this past Saturday on the road between Kamal Chowk and the railway crossing in the Pachpaoli area. A pillion rider lost his life after falling from a motorcycle and being crushed under the rear wheel of a water tanker. Residents immediately labeled the poorly maintained stretch a "death trap," a direct result of authorities turning a blind eye to its hazardous condition.
Local citizen Guddu Tiwari voiced the community's frustration, squarely blaming the NHAI and its contractor. "Despite multiple complaints regarding bad road condition, dust clouds, and water-filled potholes, the contractor didn't take any action," Tiwari stated. The situation had been flagged repeatedly, including by the Times of India, which had alerted NHAI officials at least three times, with the most recent warning issued just a day before the fatal accident.
Systemic Failures and Broken Promises
The problems plaguing this road are multifaceted. Residents report that the stretch has been in a perilous state for a long time, characterized by deep potholes and a loose surface. Compounding the danger is the alleged failure of the contractor to deploy traffic marshals, a mandatory safety condition set by the traffic department for the ongoing construction work.
This road is part of the massive Rs 998-crore Indora-to-Dighori flyover project, a key infrastructure development in Nagpur being executed by the NHAI. The demolition of the old Pachpaoli flyover as part of this project has significantly increased congestion and risk. "Construction activity has led to extremely hazardous conditions in the congested Pachpaoli area," locals emphasized.
Contractor's Response and Compensation Pledge
When confronted, Tushar Dhore, the project manager of the contracting firm, offered a different perspective on the accident's cause and the road repairs. Dhore claimed that the pillion rider fell after his shirt got caught in a tree fencing, subsequently coming under the tanker's wheel. He explained that the tanker involved was engaged in spraying water to settle dust, a response to public complaints about dust clouds from the construction.
Regarding the road's condition, Dhore stated that several repair attempts were made but the filling material did not hold. He revealed that the company had submitted a proposal to the DCP traffic office on December 16 seeking a traffic diversion to allow for proper concretisation of the road, a proposal which is still under process. On the tragic loss of life, Dhore assured that "the kin of the deceased would be provided assistance through motor insurance as our company's vehicle was involved in the road accident."
However, for the residents of Pachpaoli, these explanations offer little solace. The community's primary accusation remains unanswered: that prolonged inaction and a failure to implement basic safety measures by the authorities and contractors allowed a public road to deteriorate into a fatal hazard.
