Mumbai: The Mumbai Traffic Police have installed special barricades at the Eastern Express Highway between the Airoli Junction to Ghatkopar – after a cyclist was injured last week near the Godrej Service Road.
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On June 9, a woman cyclist – Anita Borkar, who was cycling on the stretch between the Airoli Junction and Ghatkopar – which is dedicated to runners, walkers and cyclists from 5 am to 7:30 am – had a close shave with death when she was hit by a speeding car. Though she sustained only minor injuries on her palm without any fractures, it was a serious wake-up call about the unsafety the runners felt, frequently, on the service road, thanks to the rash driving nature of some motorists.
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The Eastern Express Highway (EEH) Runners Group took the matter with the authorities, demanding barricades to protect the troops. After a series of emails, letters and meet-ups with the traffic police on Tuesday deployed 20-plus barricades at the stretch with stickers pasted on them that say, “Road is blocked for Vehicles from 5 am to 7:30 am for traffic. An initiative by Mumbai Traffic Police and EEH Runners.”
According to traffic police, while the number of vehicles on EEH during the early morning hours – when the runners, cyclists and walkers use the service road- is less, the motorists use this main reason (roads being empty) to drive rashly and dangerously. When there is more traffic, they use the service road to avoid traffic and even e-challan by the CCTV cameras. In areas like near the dumping ground in Kanjurmarg and Bhandup, and near the exit of Vikhroli flyover, motorists tend to drive rashly, or even enter the service road to cut the traffic queues.
EEH Runners group thanked police inspector Rajani Salunkhe of Vikhroli Traffic Division and deputy commissioner of police Dr Raju Bhujbal, eastern suburbs traffic for their cooperation and assistance in putting up the barricades at the highway.
Dr Aparna Govind, 53, a passionate runner and fitness motivator, said, "It's our responsibility to keep all of us safe while we follow our passion towards fitness and health. While we thank the traffic police for their assistance, it is our responsibility to keep the barricades back to the side after 7:30 am so as not to inconvenience the motorists, which we have instructed all the 250 members of EEH Runners."
The stretch between Airoli Junction to Ghatkopar is 9 km, and the runners achieve an 18 km run or cycling trip every day making them their favourite spot in the city for fitness activities. Enthusiasts from across the city come to EEH every day.
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