Two fatal accidents over the weekend in the city, puts the spotlight on the bogey of overcrowding

Two fatal accidents over the weekend in the city, puts the spotlight on the bogey of overcrowding. This paper reported how, on Sunday afternoon, an autorickshaw and a bus collided near Aksa beach. The auto driver and a person sharing his seat lost their lives. At the time of going to press, police were trying to ascertain whether the auto driver was under the influence of alcohol.

In another incident, three teenage boys met with an accident near Bandra Reclamation. They slipped at a U-turn. A 17 year-old boy died. A controversy has erupted over the latter as the family has alleged that the police struck the rider with a lathi, causing him to lose control, though the cops deny this.

While charges will continue to fly around, in both cases there was overcrowding and flouting of rules. This, in no way implies that the accidents are not hugely tragic. One must introspect and learn from these incidents.

Why was another man sitting alongside the driver of the autorickshaw? This is not allowed, but we do see this in far flung places. Taking a more holistic look at this, rather than the narrow prism of two accidents, this overcrowding can result in imbalance. It may also compromise the driver's ability to make a quick manouevre because the other person may impede that. We see rickshaws spilling over with people in certain areas outside city limits.

In the case of the two-wheeler, there were three people on the bike. Whether it is public transport or private, overcrowding has become a way of life for us. From trains to buses, to private cars, we think nothing of piling on to vehicles till they are in danger of keeling over. Rules are made for a reason and there is just so much a piece of infrastructure or a vehicle can take. Put safety above numbers and do not be casual about the resultant risks of flouting laws.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates