A woman driver faces charges of rash driving after her car overturned on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu) on Sunday afternoon, narrowly missing another vehicle and injuring all five occupants. The incident, captured on camera, highlights concerns about distractions and safety on the newly opened bridge.
Sanjeev Dhumal, senior police inspector at Nhava Sheva police station, confirmed the registration of a rash driving case against the woman. "We have started an investigation into the incident. As the woman and other passengers left for home after the incident, we have not yet verified whether she possessed a valid driving license or not," stated Dhumal. However, he assured that the ongoing investigation would reveal this detail.
The first accident on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link or Atal Setu occurred on Sunday afternoon around 3 pm when a car travelling from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai collided with the left wall, narrowly avoiding another car before hitting the divider and overturning twice. Fortunately, all five occupants, including three children and two women, escaped with minor injuries. Interestingly, the entire incident was captured on a camera installed on the dashboard of another car traveling on Atal Setu.
Gulfroz Mujawar, Traffic Police Inspector at Nhava Seva police, said that prima facie, the car's speed was below the permissible limit of 100 km per hour on the sealink. However, he said that distraction might have played a role in the accident, proposing that the woman could have been engrossed in the scenic views or taking photos. Mujawar emphasized that distractions at speeds of 80 to 100 km per hour could be dangerous. “Nhava Sheva police have registered a case. The investigation will reveal the sequence of the whole incident,” he said.
Atal Setu, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 and opened to the public on January 13, has already witnessed around 800 challans issued for various traffic violations, including overspeeding and stopping vehicles on the bridge for photo-taking from Nhava Sheva Traffic unit of Navi Mumbai police, according to Mujawar. This is apart from traffic violations punishment by Mumbai police. “Upto 10.4 km from Chirle falls under the Nhava Sheva Traffic unit,” said Mujawar.
In response to preventing accidents on Atal Setu, Mujawar dismissed the idea of adding ramblers, citing the bridge's extensive length. He emphasized the presence of indicators and messages on the bridge and underscored the importance of driving responsibly to prevent accidents. Additionally, Mujawar stated that efforts are underway to implement further measures to enhance the safety of the bridge.