Navi Mumbai: Two teachers on way home after test run over

NAVI MUMBAI: A 36-year-old teacher from a private school in Navi Mumbai’s Khanda Colony and his woman colleague were fatally knocked down by a speeding vehicle along Palaspe-JNPT road near Panvel on Thursday.
Samadhan Mhatre (36) and Sharmila Sharma (36) had gone to the Panvel sub-district hospital for a Covid test as it has been made mandatory for teachers after the latest guidelines for reopening schools.While they were returning home, an unidentified speeding vehicle hit their bike.
Samadhan Mhatre (36) resided at Vindhane-Naupada in Uran taluka and was the sole breadwinner for his family. Sharmila Sharma (36) resided in Ulwe. Panvel city police have registered an FIR against the driver of an unidentified vehicle for rash and negligent driving.
Santosh Pawar, secretary of Uran Samajik Sanstha said, “Considering the alleged failure of the government machinery to maintain the arterial road connecting JNPT to Uran and Panvel that has caused several deaths due to vehicle mishaps, the Uran Samajik Sanstha had filed a PIL in the Bombay high court in 2018. But due to the Covid pandemic, the court hearing is not being scheduled.”
Pawar said, “A trauma care centre in Uran for accident victims is the dire need, but the administration has failed to provide this healthcare facility. The stretch of road from Chirner-Dighode till Gavhan phata and further till Karal Phata, JNPT and even the Uran-Panvel road has heavy traffic of HMVs. Also, several container trailers visiting the container yards are being illegally parked along the roadside and create bottlenecks. Since JNPT was established, a separate service road has not been constructed for movement of container traffic arising due to port activities. The absence of service road is also the reason for mishaps as vehicles of local villagers, especially bikers, are compelled to ply on arterial roads where there is always heavy movement of HMVs.”