Mumbai News: 68-Year-Old Woman Injured After Metal Barricade Falls During Road Work In Andheri West; LOCA Demands Safer Design

Mumbai: A senior old has fallen victim of the mazes of barracaides installed across the city for the ongoing road concretisation work. Last week, Reetu Ahuja (68) was severely injured after a metal barracaide erected by the BMC contractor fell upon her. After undergoing a major surgery with multiple implants, Ahuja now has been told minimum three of total bed rest.

The incident took place in the broad day light on Yavteshwar Road, Shastri Nagar in Andheri West. The CCTV footage of the incident shows the two metal barracading falling upon the victim due to strong winds. As Ahuja fell on the road, immediate the workers on the site and other pedestrians rushed to help her.

"She is been discharged from the hospital, however has been advised three months of best rest. Depending upon the recovery, it might take six months also," her son Sameer said speaking with the FPJ on Friday.

A local resident said that Ahuja family decided to not take the matter to police as the BMC appointed contractor compensated for the hefty hospital bills. The bill was on lakhs of rupees. However, it is not about the money, but pain the senior citizen had to undergo, the resident added.

Meanwhile, Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizen's Association (LOCA) has condemned the incident and sent an revised design the contractors can use to prevent toppling of the barricades.

In an email to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Dhaval Shah Director of LOCA said, "Barrier size is disproportionate to the legs/support base causing the distardly accident, alomost killing the lady. This anomaly has to be corrected with thicker and broader based with holes in the top frame to let the air pass.'

"The legs of the metal barricades should be 2.5x broader with holes at the top to let air through so that it doesn't topple over and injure more citizens in our city," Shah said.

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