Godhani road
The swift action, launched within hours of 31-year-old Ashwini Phalke being crushed to death by a gravel-laden truck on Tuesday, has raised uncomfortable questions: Why were the encroachments allowed to remain until a woman lost her life? Alleging that the road alignment was altered during construction to accommodate commercial establishments, she claimed the road was diverted by around 20 feet. Within hours of Tuesday’s accident, NMC’s Mangalwari zone launched an anti-encroachment drive that continued until 1.30am. Meanwhile, Mankapur police have registered a case of culpable homicide and rash driving against truck driver Shaikh Jamil Sheikh Salam (45), a resident of Deshraj Nagar near Gausia Masjid in Gittikhadan.
Because shopkeepers were alerted before officials arrived, allowing them to temporarily remove obstructions and restore them after the teams left, thakre also alleged that earlier anti-encroachment drives were ineffective.
She said she had repeatedly approached civic and NIT officials about the varying road width and encroachments since winning the election. Sand had been spread over the blood-stained road, while barely a few inches away, a worker was clearing gravel that residents said had been dumped and left occupying road space for several months. Jamil was driving at high speed despite restrictions on the entry of heavy vehicles, according to police.
Could timely enforcement have prevented the tragedy? Recalling the horrifying accident, Snehal Thakre, Congress corporator from the area, described it as an extremely disturbing sight. She demanded regular deployment of traffic police and legal action against shop owners renting out spaces that encroach on the road. Led by chief engineer Leena Upadhye and encroachment removal department assistant commissioner Sanjay Kamble, two teams demolished seven sheds, including one belonging to Garva Biryani Centre on the Zingabai Takli-Godhani stretch.
The administration’s belated response was evident on Wednesday when TOI visited the accident spot.