Mumbai: Residents live in constant fear of accidents

About a fortnight ago, a senior citizen's face was bloodied and her two fingers fractured after she fell while crossing a concrete block in Pestom Sagar in Chembur (west). Residents said that similar incidents take place several times in Chheda Nagar, which is adjacent to Pestom Sagar.

S Eshwarn, member of Chheda Nagar Resident Welfare Association, said most of their time goes in discussing their problems with different agencies. "Many senior citizens have injured themselves due to bad roads. Local corporator and other public representatives help us, but that is not sufficient," said Eshwarn.

According to residents, the BMC should come forward and take responsibility to take care of basic amenities. "Since we pay property tax and other charges to BMC, it is their responsibility to provide us the basic amenities," said another resident.

A senior BMC official from M West ward said that the BMC cannot provide basic amenities to a private land. However, he added, that the BMC can improve roads under section 63 (K) of the MMC Act. "We can fund two-third of the expenses, while the remaining the societies will have to manage," said the official. He added that the civic body has already provided them peripheral road and sewage system.

STATE OF AFFAIRS

• A fortnight ago, a senior citizen’s face was bloodied and her two fingers fractured after she fell while crossing a concrete block in Chembur. 
   
• Similar incidents have occurred in the past. 
   
• A senior BMC official said that BMC cannot provide basic amenities to a private land