In the wake of the accident in which four staffers of an ad firm from the city lost their lives after their car plunged into the Nira river on November 2, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to conduct a safety audit of all vulnerable accident spots on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway including that particular spot near the Nira bridge.
Relatives of the four deceased on Thursday alleged that the accident might have taken place due to poor condition of the bridge, absence of crash barrier and erroneous diversion board.
“We have inspected the highway stretch, including the bridge and identified 10 vulnerable spots where accidents take place. A private firm from Chennai will conduct the audit and give us feedback,” said NHAI project director Rajesh Kaundal.
He said the 10 spots where are located at Kokoli, Bhuinj, Godoli, Kavathe, Velhe, Jambhulwadi, Chandani Chowk and Sutarwadi. They noted the sharp turns and poor road condition at these spots.
The NHAI is planning to widen the Nira bridge to six-lanes in two years.
A Shiv Sena delegation led by spokesperson Neelam Gorhe met Kaundal and demanded that the contract given to Reliance be cancelled and stringent action taken against the contractors for the accident.
Cops trying to find out how mishap took place
The Rajgad police are now investigating how the accident at the Nira river bridge, in which four admen were killed, took place.
The rural police have confirmed that all the staffers in the car died due to drowning and there was no other reason behind the deaths.
“Today, we visited the spot again and tried to investigate how the car got into the gap as there are no major signs of an accident or scratches on the sides of the bridges and the pillars,” said additional superintendent of police, Ravindrasihn Pardeshi.
He said after inspecting the spot minutely, there are some marks which indicate that an accident took place.
“We will try and find out what exactly happened when the car plunged into the river and where it hit,” he said.
Citizens’ meet tomorrow
RTI activist Vinita Deshmukh on Friday said citizens will hold a meeting on Sunday to demand action against NHAI and road contractors for the deaths of the four admen. The meeting will be held at the pagoda in Sarasbaug Garden at 11 am. The aim of the meeting is to make the powers that be accountable for the tragic deaths of the four admen.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}