A pedestrian was killed while crossing the Pune-Satara highway near Gogalwadi Phata in Shindewadi, in Pune district’s Bhor taluka, renewing concerns over the slow construction of a steel flyover meant to protect people crossing the busy road. The fatal crash was reported to have taken place on Thursday night, according to Lokmat.
The incident has intensified anger among residents, who have been demanding a dedicated pedestrian crossing at the location for several years. Construction of the flyover began a few months ago, but local residents say the work is progressing at an extremely slow pace and has not yet provided a safe alternative for people who need to cross the highway.
The report said accidents have repeatedly occurred around Gogalwadi Phata. While the identity of the pedestrian killed in the latest crash was not provided, the incident is the latest in a series of deaths and accidents that residents associate with the absence of a completed pedestrian facility at the site.
Local residents have claimed that between 15 and 20 people have died in accidents in the area. This figure is a claim made by residents and was not independently verified in the report. The ongoing construction has therefore failed, so far, to remove the immediate risk faced by pedestrians crossing the highway, according to the account.
Residents have also alleged that the work is of poor quality, is proceeding slowly and has been affected by inadequate planning. They say construction activity is creating difficulties for daily traffic on the highway while leaving pedestrians exposed to fast-moving vehicles.
Arvind Shinde, former sarpanch of Shindewadi, questioned how many more people would have to die before the flyover was completed. He demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against officials of the National Highways Authority of India for alleged dereliction of duty and called for the work to be completed immediately.
Villagers have warned that they will block the highway and launch a protest if the construction is not expedited. The Lokmat report did not include a response from the National Highways Authority of India or specify a revised completion deadline for the flyover.
