In what can be called a positive side-effect of the lockdown, deaths on Mumbai roads and railway tracks have come down by almost 65 per cent and 75 per cent respectively in March and April as compared to the same tenure last year.
On the roads, 21 deaths were reported in March and April this year, compared to 80 in the same months in 2019. On the other hand, despite the trains running under extremely stringent restrictions, 152 fatalities were reported in the two months this year. However, this is almost 65 per cent lower than 431 deaths reported in March and April 2019.
Last month, nine deaths were reported on railway tracks when only goods trains and workmen specials to ferry railway employees were run. A GRP officer told TOI that five of the nine deaths had been caused due to trespassing.
Furthermore, there have been reports of young men from slums along the tracks flouting lockdown regulations and straying on the railway lines.
In the meantime, eight fatal accidents were reported on roads during April 2020 with four victims being pedestrians, three motorcyclists and one autorickshaw passenger. Two of the accidents were hit-and-runs at Chembur and Trombay.
It can be safely assumed that once the pandemic is over, social distancing might still be the norm. Therefore, instead of private cars, people should be encouraged to use bicycles over private cars. The option of bicycles will also help the authorities bring down the number of accidents on Mumbai roads.
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