Nagpur Residents Demand Urgent Road Safety Measures After Fatal Bike-Taxi Accident
Residents of Pratap Nagar in Nagpur have made a direct appeal to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal, urging them to implement critical safety infrastructure at a notoriously dangerous crossing. The demand comes in the immediate aftermath of a tragic and fatal accident that claimed the life of a bike-taxi driver operating for an app-based company.
A Tragic Night on Rana Pratap Nagar Ring Road
The fatal incident occurred around 9:30 PM on a recent Saturday at the busy junction near Radhe Mangalam Hall, located within the South-West Assembly constituency. According to eyewitness accounts from local residents, the sequence of events was both chaotic and devastating.
A collision initially occurred between a motorcycle, which was being used as an illegal bike-taxi, and a moped. The impact caused the bike-taxi driver to fall onto the roadway. In the ensuing confusion and poor visibility, a black car approaching from the GT Chowk side tragically ran over the fallen rider's head. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident also left two other individuals with serious injuries, compounding the tragedy.
Community Outcry Over Long-Standing Safety Neglect
Local residents have described the event as profoundly shocking, labeling the death of the young man as a direct consequence of persistently unsafe traffic conditions at that specific crossing. The community asserts that the area has transformed into a high-risk zone for accidents due to a confluence of hazardous factors.
Key factors contributing to the danger include:
- Illegal Vendor Encroachment: Numerous street food vendors have established stalls at the corner of the Ring Road, effectively creating an impromptu food lane. This attracts significant pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
- Haphazard Parking: Customers visiting these food stalls frequently park their vehicles indiscriminately along the roadside. This practice causes severe congestion, narrows the usable roadway, and drastically increases the risk of collisions.
- Ongoing Infrastructure Work: Compounding these issues, pipeline work for monsoon water drainage is currently underway on the same stretch of road, further disrupting traffic flow and creating additional obstacles.
Residents have reported that minor and major accidents have become a regular and alarming occurrence at this location, with this latest incident serving as a deadly culmination of ignored warnings.
Citizens' Specific Demands for Immediate Action
In response to the fatal crash, the citizens of Pratap Nagar have presented a clear and urgent list of demands to the local administration and police. They are calling for the immediate installation of several critical safety measures at the problematic crossing near Radhe Mangalam Hall.
The demanded interventions are:
- Permanent traffic signals to regulate the flow of vehicles.
- High-visibility blinking warning lights to alert drivers, especially at night.
- Prominent, yellow-striped speed breakers to forcibly reduce vehicle speed.
- Strategic placement of barricades to manage traffic and prevent illegal parking and vendor encroachment onto the road.
The community's appeal underscores a critical need for proactive governance in urban planning and traffic management. They argue that implementing these basic safety features is essential to prevent further loss of life on a road that has become synonymous with danger for Nagpur's residents.
