Often victims don’t get any treatment during the golden hour whenever accidents occur on Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
At least 17 people were killed and around 35 were injured when a bus rammed into two cars and fell into a ditch near Panvel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. According to the Navi Mumbai Police the mishap occurred at 5.30 am. Among those dead is a six month old toddler. To make matters worse three women belonging from a same family hailing from Mira Road had lost their lives. The tragic mishap has claimed the lives of four month old granddaughter, daughter and grandmother belonging to Kadam family. In this accident Kalyan Kadam and his cousin succumbed to injuries. The 28 year old Kadam was working as a producer in Mumbai. Even though fatal accidents continue to occur on the Mumbai-Pune expressway but a comprehensive emergency response system comprising a casualty evacuation mechanism, ambulance services and dedicated hospitals has remained absent since 2002 when the expressway was completed. Often victims don’t get any treatment during the golden hour period due to lack of coordination between traffic department and hospitals. Moreover, vehicles violate traffic rules and overtake carelessly by cutting lanes thereby paving way for accidents.
Bhandup resident Avinash Karande (40), his wife Meenal Karande and daughter Vedika and Aarushi had gone to Satara. While returning Avinash lost his life in the accident whereas Meenal sustained severe injuries but their daughters are safe. Meenal and her daughters are undergoing treatment in MGM hospital. Avinash was working as a professor with MD College.
According to the police, a car was standing on the road as it had a flat tyre, and MUV, standing was behind it. Passengers in the MUV had stopped to help those in the first car. While the two vehicles had halted, a private tourist bus came from behind and rammed the MUV, which in turn rammed into the car. The three vehicles plunged into a 20ft deep road-side ditch.
Commuters of car sustained minor injuries. All the injured have been rushed to the nearby hospitals. Police said that the bus driver may have failed to see the tail-lights of the cars owing to a cloudy morning. The death toll is likely to rise.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted, “The accident near Panvel on Mumbai-Pune Expressway is tragic. Deeply pained over the loss of lives and injuries.”
Here’s a list of the injured: Praveen Khopde (Bhandup), Jagannath Dalvi ( Andheri), Sunita Dighe ( Satara), On Dighe ( Satara), Ritesh Chavan ( Jogeshwari), Nilesh Nale ( Thane), Nisha Yadav ( Satara), Sagar Patil (Ghansoli), Vipin Mhatre ( Ghansoli), Siddesh Kadam ( Thane), Raj Apnath ( Thane), Omkar Mangoli ( Thane), Omkar Salunke ( Lonad), Anita Nikam ( Satara), Manohar Bujahar ( Satara), Yogesh Kharade ( Dombivali), Akshay Gujar ( Satara), Shruti Shivantak ( Satara), Sunil Godse ( Diva), Sonal Godse ( Diva), Arya Bahadpure ( Thane), Nirmayee Bhoite ( Kalyan), Prakash Gaikwad ( Kalwa) , Aswini Bhoite ( Kalyan) , Sushma Shivankar ( Satara), Sangeeta Godse( Diva), Sandesh Godse ( Diva) and Lata Kale ( Kandivali).
