My accident

I survived a bad accident last evening.

It was raining very heavily yesterday, and transport was not available. I was at Deonar looking for a cab. There was a lady who was also looking for an auto or cab till Vashi.

We finally managed to find an auto willing to take us till Vashi Bridge, and decided to share the auto.

All was well till we reached near the Octroi Naka on the highway. It was raining heavily and the auto driver did not notice a gigantic pothole. The right rear wheel went into the pothole and the auto keeled over on that side, turned turtle and kept on going with all three of us inside and under it.

I can only say that it was divine providence that saved me. I got out relatively unscathed except for a couple of scratches and bruises (which are burning now as I type this) and some aching bones (which I did not realize last night).

The auto rickshaw hurt his right arm.

However, the lady bore the brunt of the accident. Since she was seated on the right side, when the auto turned turtle, she was half-thrown out and got dragged under the auto for a distance.

Her right arm and leg were scratched all over and the right side of her face was completely covered with blood!

People gathered quickly and helped the auto driver and the lady. A police jeep also appeared, but went and stopped a few meters ahead. Meanwhile, a Good Samaritan stopped and offered to take the lady to hospital.

Mr. Vivek Verma drives a tourist vehicle. The vehicle belongs to him, but is contracted to a company. He did not care about the dirt or blood stains on his passenger seat; just asked us to hop in. Since the auto driver did not seem badly hurt, I picked up the lady and asked Mr. Verma to drive to Wockhardt Hospital at Vashi. On the way, we called her husband and informed him.

Due to the craters masquerading as potholes on the way from the Toll Naka to Wockhardt Hospital, it took us a while to reach. On the way, I just wondered, “What if this was a major emergency. Our roads will kill people one way or the other!”

Anyway, we reached the hospital and got her into the emergency. In the meantime, her husband reached the hospital. After ensuring that things were under control, I left for home to my increasingly worried wife and children.

I called the hospital this morning, and was informed that the lady needed some stitches to her face. But her injuries were not very serious and she was discharged last night.

All’s well that ends well.

But it could have been worse!

Much worse!

People who travel that route will know that it is the start of the Mumbai-Pune highway, and vehicles are generally at a very high speed once they cross Mankhurd and move towards the Octroi Naka.

A single slip could have led to loss of life.

And it is all because our beloved Municipal Corporations have been giving us empty promises year after year, while the roads are getting worse.

It is not worth even contemplating suing BMC, because we all know nothing is going to happen. Civil cases get dragged in court for years, and the only person harassed is the litigant.

I want to file a criminal case against the road engineer and the ward officer in charge of that road.

I am writing to the Honourable Bombay High Court, if they can accept my petition to treat accident cases like mine which are due to bad roads or potholes under the relevant sections of ‘causing injury / death due to negligence’ and proceeding with criminal cases against the relevant municipal officers concerned.

I would also urge as many people who have suffered falls, injuries, problems with their vehicles due to bad roads, to also do the same.

Possibly a few score cases against each of these babus, and them spending a few nights in jail, is the only way they will learn to do quality work, and avoid the shoddy work they have been doing at the behest of their masters.

I need a lawyer to help me draft an appeal to the Honourable High Court. Anyone to help?