Thane, a city in Maharashtra, India, experienced a tragic accident when a 40-year-old pedestrian was hit by a car and lost his life. To prevent such incidents in the future, Dr. Mahesh Bedekar, a social activist and runner, has written a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, urging the reservation of certain roads in Thane for runners.
Bedekar emphasized that many runners choose Hiranandani Meadows, Vasant Vihar, Upavan, and Yeoor in Thane for their morning and nighttime training sessions since traffic flow is considerably lower compared to other areas of the city. However, he expressed concern about the ongoing road construction in the city leading to increased traffic and a subsequent rise in accidents.
In the past, there have been several incidents where runners have lost their lives on the roads, leading to concerns about the safety of runners. Over 200 runners from Thane have addressed their concerns regarding safety to Thane Municipal Corporation and Police Commissioner.
To resolve this issue, Bedekar demanded the reservation of certain roads exclusively for citizens who engage in morning and nighttime walking and running, with restricted traffic access. He also highlighted the lack of available roads in Thane for people who engage in walking to maintain good health.
Kasber Augustine, the founder of Thane Citizens Forum, suggested that Pawar Nagar, Upvan, and Yeoor have relatively low vehicular traffic, yet there is a significant influx of car drivers for late-night and early-morning driving practice. Unfortunately, many of these drivers engage in disruptive behavior often fueled by alcohol consumption. Therefore, appropriate action needs to be taken against such individuals.
Overall, Bedekar’s proposal seems to be reasonable considering the safety of pedestrians and runners in the city. It is essential to reserve certain roads in Thane for pedestrians and runners while restricting traffic access to prevent further tragic incidents from occurring.
