Ten days after the grand inauguration of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Road (MTHL), India’s longest sea bridge witnessed its first accident on the afternoon of January 21, a Sunday. Luckily however, no injuries were reported, although the vehicle involved in the incident, a Maruti Suzuki Ignis, sustained significant damage.
Nhava Sheva Police said that the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon between 3:00 and 3:30 pm when a car collided with the divider. The vehicle, which was ferrying five individuals from a Dawoodi Bohra family – two women, a child and two teenage boys – was reportedly racing at a very high speed when it lost control after changing lanes, collided forcefully with the protective railing, causing the vehicle to overturn multiple times before finally coming to a stop. But despite the car taking at least two tumbles after hitting the divider, all its occupants, by some miracle, did not suffer any serious injury. A video that captured the incident on the dashcam of another moving car has surfaced on social media.
Nonetheless, the impact was so huge that the car was damaged completely. It is believed that the car was overtaking when it lost control and hit the divider,” said a police officer. Zara Sakir, 32, a resident of Panvel, was found to be behind the wheel of the car.
“They did not have any visible injury,” said senior police inspector Sanjeev Dhumal from Nhava Sheva police station. “They were taken for a medical check-up and discharged. We will be taking suo motu action and registering a case against them.”
A senior officer from Nhava Sheva Police Station stated that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. A potential rash driving case against the driver is being considered based on the findings.
Due to the incident occurring on a Sunday, the bridge was busy, attracting the attention of other motorists. However, quick action was taken to clear the traffic, and the damaged car was moved aside. Passengers were taken home by their relatives, while the vehicle is currently held at the police station.
Meanwhile, the MTHL, connecting Sewri with Nhava Sheva, seems to be a smash hit among motorists. “In the first 48 hours since it was opened to the public on January 13, a total of 79,450 vehicles plied the bridge,” said a Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) official.
First Accident On MTHL Car Strikes Divider, Overturns
