Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A misjudged large speed breaker on the Mitmita road led to a tragic accident in which Ravi Ramnivas Parik (36), a young entrepreneur, lost his life. The incident occurred on Thursday (Dec 18) at around 1.30 am in front of Tarangan Society in the Mitmita area. Ravi’s maternal cousin and two close friends traveling with him in the car sustained injuries.
Ravi lived with his parents, wife, and daughter near the city chowk police station’s rear in the Devdi Bazaar area. On Thursday, his relatives from Kannada had come to the city for work. After completing their tasks, they went to Ravi’s house. Around 8 pm, as their vehicle was unavailable, Ravi decided to drop his relatives home in his Tata Safari. Ravi’s maternal cousin Rahul Joshi, friend Sanjay Uday Ragde, and his brother (Ra. Kileark) accompanied him. Around 12.30 am, after dropping the relatives, they headed back toward the city. Near Tarangan Phata at 1.30 am, they failed to anticipate the speed breaker. The car’s front left wheel hit the obstacle, causing it to flip in the air and land approximately 20–25 feet away. Ravi sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot. Rahul Joshi suffered chest injuries, while a friend sitting in the back fractured his arm. All injured persons are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
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PWD’s Negligence: "Invisible" Death Traps
Local residents are outraged at the Public Works Department (PWD) for creating a "death stretch" on Padegaon Road. The road sees heavy traffic due to tourists visiting Nashik, Mumbai, Chalisgaon, Dhule, Kailasa Leni, Ghushneshwar Temple, and Daulatabad Fort. Seven speed breakers were installed: two near Chinar Garden in Padegaon, two in Padegaon, two near Shani Mandir, and one in front of Tarangan Phata. While the PWD recently installed seven speed breakers to manage heavy tourist traffic, they neglected basic safety standards:
• Zero Visibility: The bumps lack blinkers, warning signs, and adequate street lighting.
• Poor Design: Only zebra markings exist, which remain invisible to drivers at night.
• High Risk: Six consecutive, closely-spaced humps now endanger thousands of commuters traveling toward Mumbai and the Ellora Caves.
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A Visionary legacy cut short
Ravi Parik was a pioneer in the city’s business community. As the founder of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’s first dog hostel and a 2019 award winner, he was actively planning to expand his venture to a two-acre facility. The tragedy has devastated his family; Ravi was the only son of parents who have run a local mess for decades. He leaves behind his parents, two sisters, his wife, and a four-year-old daughter.
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Systemic Failure: Dial 112 Delays
The tragedy highlights a critical failure in emergency services. Witnesses reported that the Dial 112 helpline initially failed to connect. When operators finally answered, they reportedly wasted precious "golden hour" minutes on tedious data collection instead of immediately dispatching medical aid.