Pedestrians must watch their step: TMC engg’s shocking statement about mishap

Thane: After the freak accident on Monday when the left

leg

of a 54-year-old

woman

was

stuck

in the gap between the iron bars covering a

manhole

at Ram Maruti Road, civic officials denied responsibility and instead blamed citizens for being ignorant.

Further they justified their attitude by stating that pedestrians should look around while walking and alert the authority if they come across such issues either of a manhole cover missing or some repair work that ought to be done.

While it is fortunate that the manhole was fixed within an hour after the incident took place, the authority it seems has taken things lightly and rather has cautioned citizens to be more attentive.

Anil Patil, TMC city engineer said, “We carry out repair work on a regular basis. If there is a civic issue troubling the residents we have a number of consumer addressal forums that they can complain upon. Immediately, then we send a team at the spot to fix it. At the same time, it is the responsibility of the pedestrians to be more conscious while walking. They should not look here and there but see what is it that they are stepping on. This way we can avoid such accidents.” Furious with this attitude, activists lashed out at the civic bureaucracy over its sheer

apathy

towards the life of citizens.

A city-based activist, Sanjeev Dutta said, “We, the citizens are the tax bearers because of which the footpaths and roads are built in the first place. When crores are spent to rebuild footpaths that are actually in a good condition, the opinion of the public is ignored and when something happens to them they say it’s your responsibility which is absolutely unfair on TMC’s part.”