No zebra crossings at Bhandup and Mankhurd junctions leave pedestrians risking their lives

At many places in Mumbai, pedestrians must risk their lives to cross the road because there are no zebra crossings. Senior citizens, pregnant women and schoolchildren suffer the most. The problem exists in many places, but the situation is worst under the Sonapur flyover in Bhandup and on the Sion-Panvel road in Mankhurd. Vehicles of every kind ply at both spots round the clock.

At many junctions in the city, a zebra crossing is either missing or so faded that neither drivers nor pedestrians can see it. The Sion-Panvel highway is counted among the busiest routes in the country. Even so, there is no zebra crossing under the flyover near the Maharashtra Nagar bus stop in Mankhurd.

Vehicles come down the Ghatkopar flyover at high speed and head towards Mumbai or Navi Mumbai. Vehicles going from the Mumbai side towards Panvel or Ghatkopar also drive fast. Traffic that crawls because of road work speeds up as soon as it finds open road here. There are signals, but vehicle after vehicle is driven through before the signal opens, so pedestrians get no chance to cross.

The situation is the same under the flyover near the Sonapur bus stop in Bhandup. Metro flyover work is also under way here, so heavy and large vehicles pass in large numbers. Routes towards Navi Mumbai, Thane, Andheri, Mulund, Marol and Majas split at this junction, so traffic is heavy. With no zebra crossing stripes, people face trouble here too.

"Many accidents, big and small, happen here every day. At night there is often no traffic police on either side. Vehicles then pass at great speed, and crossing the road late at night feels like a test of survival for pedestrians," said Madhav Nene, a senior citizen who lives in Bhandup.

Traffic police at both places admitted that this is a serious problem. They said the Mumbai Municipal Corporation ward offices on both sides have been asked repeatedly to paint zebra crossing stripes. Letters and reminder letters were also sent, but the stripes have still not been painted. An attempt was made to contact the ward office concerned, but it could not be reached, so its side of the matter could not be obtained.