When will our roads be safe, ask Undri residents after ghastly hit-and-run accident in Pune

Pune: Retired colonel Pradeep Masand, a resident of Undri for 20 years, usually walks on the same stretch where a 49-year-old man out on a morning jog was killed on the spot in a hit-and-run accident on Tuesday morning. In Jan, a 34-year-old dentist riding her two-wheeler died in the same area when she was hit by a tanker.
A badly shaken Masand said the stretch where the security manager died is frequented by many walkers. "There is a sharp turn and a blind spot where the accident took place. There are no speed breakers to slow down vehicles. I now feel unsafe on this road," the 73-year-old said.
Hundreds of other residents from the area have expressed concern about road accidents. "This area is mushrooming with unplanned development. There is no proper infrastructure to support such growth. There are so many under-construction projects, the number of tankers has increased, and roads are in a bad condition. We seek a moratorium on construction until the existing issues are settled. We may be compelled to take to the streets and protest," Sunil Aiyer, one of the directors of Mohammadwadi Undri Residents Welfare Development Foundation, said.
Sajeev Nair, chairman of Nyati Serenity society in Mohammedwadi, said, "Basic infrastructure is missing in the area. This is not the first time fatal accidents have taken place here. There is no proper lighting at night, and people on bikes and in cars do not follow rules. We need the development plan to be approved."
Sunil Koloti, a resident of Nyati Windchimes and an avid biker, is worried about road safety after these recent accidents.
"After our area was merged with PMC in 2017, civic engineers have not bothered to check the condition of the roads. There are potholes, there is no proper waste management, and water supply is dependent on tankers," he said.
Roads must be expanded, and gardens or walking areas are needed for residents, he added. Others also said that the complete lack of a CCTV surveillance network on Undri's roads is making it nearly impossible to trace culprits in case of accidents or crimes.
Lt General Sunil Jog (retired), a resident of Undri for over 10 years, said, " Speed breakers are necessary near blind corners that will force vehicles to slow down. At present, many roads are narrow, and there is no control on the volume of traffic."
Durga Krishnamurthy, a 56-year-old homemaker from the area, said there is overcrowding in the area and residents are battling for water and sewage connections.
"This area is going to take eternity to develop. There are issues of stray animals, reckless tanker drivers, and a lack of speed breakers. I don't know how many lives will be lost before things are managed better by authorities," she said.