DNA Rain Check: Auto drivers avoid fares on bumpy Western Express Highway, suburbs

Shyamsunder Pandey who has been driving an autorickshaw for past 25 years in Mumbai has not only begun refusing long distance fares but also avoids Western Express Highway as well as SV Road. He is quick to clarify that he is not one of those errant drivers who refuses random fares, but his aggravated backache due to Mumbai's pothole-ridden roads have let him with no choice either.

Several auto drivers like Pandey claimed that the autorickshaw drivers are the worst hit due to potholes and craters that have surfaced all over the suburbs in the last two weeks, and many of them preferred to avoid fares on several stretches of SV Road, Andheri Kurla road, as well as highway.

Affirming that auto drivers were avoiding fares on some of the worst pothole ridden stretches to avoid strain as well as getting stuck in long snarls,Thambi Kurien working president of Mumbai Rickshaw Men Union said that he is planning to meet the Municipal Commissioner as well as heads of PWD and MMRDA to brief them about the sufferings of auto drivers in the city so that the pothole filling work can be expedited.

Kurien added that several auto drivers have complained to him that SV Road had some of the worst patches along with Highway. "There are huge craters near the MTNL junction flyover at Goregaon, similarly the road from Inorbit to Goregaon sports club has several potholes and even Andheri Kurla road was in a mess in several patches," he said.

"Most auto drivers ply on the roads of Mumbai for anywhere between 10 to 12 hours daily and due to the constant jerks caused by craters and potholes not only they complain of joints and back pain but also the maintenance of their vehicles increases causing them monetary losses too," he said adding that the auto drivers are also losing business as a majority of their time is spent caught up in long traffic pile-ups due to potholes.

A senior BMC official from roads department said that the work on filling the potholes has been initiated on all major and internal roads. "Constant rains are creating hurdles and we are waiting for few days of dry spell so that all the potholes can be filled up properly," he said.

POTHOLE WOES

Several auto drivers claimed that they are the worst hit due to potholes that have surfaced all over the suburbs in the last two weeks

Apart from joint and back pain, they complain about increase in maintenance of their vehicles causing them monetary loss

'EXTREMELY RISKY'

"I drive an auto from 9 am to 9 pm and after returning home my entire body pains especially my back and this is simply because of the potholes that have increased this year. I don't prefer to ride on the highway as it has become extremely risky."
Surendra Singh, 60 years

"Driving auto at night has become extremely risky as one simply can't spot the potholes. Since the auto is not properly balanced due to its make of three tyres, if an auto hits a pothole at even 40kmph it can prove to be extremely risky as the auto can even topple."
Vinay Gurav, 38 years

"The condition of SV Road is the worst, and hence I avoid it and use the Link Road often. It's strange that year after year the condition of roads in Mumbai is deteriorating. During rains, we not only face loss in business as people avoid travelling in auto, but also increases auto's operating cost."
Sharad Vawool, 38 years