Maharashtra: Open pothole claims another life near Mumbai taking day's toll to three

New Delhi: In a tragic incident in Turbhe of Navi Mumbai., a biker lost his life after falling in an open pothole. Today at least three people have met the same fate by falling in the open potholes in the region. In an earlier mishap today, a man had died after his scooter hit a pothole and he was flung on the road only to get crushed under a truck. As per PTI, it was the fourth fatality related to potholes reported in Thane district since the onset of monsoon, police said. Kalpesh Jadhav (26), a sand supplier, was on his way to the railway station at around 4 am when the incident took place in Kalyan township of the district, an official of the Khadakpada police station said. "He lost his balance and fell when the two-wheeler he was riding skidded over a pothole near Gandhari bridge. An unidentified vehicle passing by crushed him under its wheels," the official informed. Jadhav's is the fourth death caused by potholes in Kalyan township since the monsoons began in early June. On July 11, a 45-year-old man died after he fell into a water-filled pothole and was run over by a truck on Haji Malang Road in Kalyan. On July 8, a 43-year-old woman riding pillion on a motorcycle was killed on Haji Malang Road after she fell off the vehicle and came under the wheels of a bus. The issue of pothole-riddled roads has been at the centre of an acrimonious debate between the Maharashtra government and the opposition parties. The opposition parties have questioned the government's claim that the number of potholes on roads in Mumbai and its adjoining areas has reduced considerably over the past four years The outraged locals have alleged BMC of neglecting its duties in this matter. They have claimed that so far five people have lost their lives due to potholes in Kalyan. They said that the Municipal Corporation won’t take up the task of filling potholes until an important person dies due to them. (With inputs from PTI)