FIR against contractor for filling craters in peak hours

NAVI MUMBAI: Acting on a complaint by Kharghar traffic unit, CBD police registered an FIR against a contractor appointed by PWD as he carried out road repairs during the daytime, when traffic was at its peak, and motorists were stuck for hours.

The contractor filled potholes near CBD flyover during the daytime peak traffic hours. The inappropriate timing created obstacles for motorists and led to traffic snarls, which extended for around 2km on the Mumbai lane, from CBD till the Kharghar flyover. The contractor was directed to carry out road repairs on the highway after 11pm, when there is less traffic.

Kharghar traffic inspector Pravin Pandey said, "The contractor, Ganesh Pardeshi of Thane-based Shree Swami Samarth Co, has been booked under Section 431 of Indian Penal Code for mischief by injury to public, road, bridge, river or channel. Legal action has been initiated as per directions of the DCP (traffic). The contractor has not taken permission from the traffic department for carrying out repairs on the Sion-Panvel highway near the CBD flyover."

He said the contractor had been directed to carry out repairs from 11pm to 3am. Still, on Saturday around 10pm, the contractor and his workers started road repairs at the beginning of CBD flyover on the Mumbai lane, he added.

"Being peak morning hours, traffic movement got disrupted as only one lane of the Mumbai carriageway was available for vehicles to ply, which caused bottlenecks. Hence, there was choc-a-bloc traffic, with a serpentine queue of vehicles for 2km till the Kharghar flyover. As the contractor's untimely work inconvenienced motorists, he has been booked under the relevant IPC section," he said.