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Mismanagement leaves last leg of Mumbai-Pune cycle race in chaos

Dilwar Singh from Haryana won The Giant-Starkenn 52nd Mumbai-Pune Cycle Race but could the result have been different had chaos not disturbed the rhythm of the cyclists towards the finish?

Mismanagement leaves last leg of Mumbai-Pune cycle race in chaos
SHARES

The Giant-Starkenn 52nd Mumbai-Pune Cycle Race was affected by “mismanagement” causing chaos and confusion close to the finish on Jangli Maharaj Road.

Some of the cyclists even ran into into PMPML buses against which they had to compete for space on the road.

The Pune Traffic Police allegedly did not stop regular vehicles or diverted them, which meant that the cyclists had to negotiate with bikes, rickshaws and even PMPML buses on the last stretch.

The organisers say that they had informed the police in Mumbai, Thane and Pune about the position of the cyclists but the police didn't divert the traffic accurately and this led to the cyclists facing trouble.

According to a quote in Indian Express, Gajen Ganla, one of the organisers said,

“We were in touch with the Pune Traffic Police and informed them when the cyclists had reached Dehu Road. They should have diverted or stopped the traffic but apparently, they did not take it seriously. If the traffic was managed properly, may be the results of the race would have been different as some of the leading cyclists faced trouble due to other vehicles on the road."

The traffic police department admitted that there was chaos but blamed it on the vehicles accompanying the cyclists. “There were several four-wheelers and two-wheelers that accompanied the cyclists from Mumbai, which were parked on both sides of the road. It resulted in congestion,” said a senior traffic policeman in the area. “A traffic PI and two constables were deployed at the finishing line."

The winner for this year’s edition was defending champion Dilawar Singh won once again and takes home a prize of ₹1 lakh. The first runner up was Krishna Naikwadi who would be given ₹75,000. This time, 180 cyclists participated in the race.

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