A 23-year-old Malad resident who was left with a lower back injury after his motorcycle hit a pothole, while travelling on the Jogeshwari Vikroli Link Road (JVLR) not only has carried out a 'citizen's audit' of the entire stretch, but also compiled a 61 page report containing photographs and locations of all such bad patches, which he has sent to the Municipal Commissioner on Tuesday.

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Pranav Hegde, a media student was returning home from Mulund via the JVLR on December 9 when around 9.30 pm his bike hit an uneven patch of the road. "I was riding cautiously as there are barely any light in that portion and right before the Seepz flyover my motorcycle hit a pothole created due to uneven utility cover. The impact of the tyres hitting the pothole was such that i felt a stinging pain in my back," he said adding that he had to immediately stop his bike as he was writhing in pain for almost 20 minutes.

Back home, the pain in his lower back only ended up aggravating and after consultation with doctors, Hegde had to end up resting for almost a week resulting in him missing out on his classes. "I was very upset over the negligence of BMC, infact when i discussed my accident with my friends as well as on social media, many told me about their own accidents and near misses as the entire JVLR patch had several such dangerous patches," shared Hegde adding that it was at that moment it stuck to him that he should survey the entire JVLR.

Armed with a camera the 23-year-old spent two weekends studying the road and carefully photographing potholes, uneven road surface, sunken manholes, crevices near utility covers which were risky for two wheeler riders. "During the JVLR survey i was shocked on seeing how the entire stretch had several accident prone spots and it showed the apathy of authorities who were least bothered over the fact that a biker could end up dying due to one of these potholes," shared Hegde.

According to Hegde some of the worst spots he found were near Pratap Nagar, Datta Tekdi, Jogeshwari, Opposite Powai Plaza, Before SEEPZ bridge apart from others.

(Powai Plaza)

(Opp Powai Plaza)

(Vikhroli Junction Signal)

(Pratap Nagar Signal)

(Seepz Village Bridge)

The media student not only took photographs of such dangerous spots but also listed google location co-ordinates, electric pole numbers and even landmarks so that each location could be easily identified and emailed it to civic chief as well as the Chief Minister's Aaple Sarkar-Grievance Redressal Portal. "I will also be sending a hard copy of the entire 61 page dossier," said Hegde.