Mumbai: Following death of veteran cyclists, city riders call for precautionary measures

Mumbai’s cycling community has mourned the death of Ashok Khale, a veteran cyclist who succumbed to his injuries late Sunday after being knocked down by a speeding vehicle a day earlier.

The cyclists have emphasized that it was high time that their community took road safety seriously. They also stressed the need for authorities to acknowledge the presence of the increasing community in the city.

According to cyclists, the year has been particularly bad for the community in terms of accidents. “Unfortunately, nobody has kept a record of accidents involving cyclists, but on an average we have been hearing of 5-6 such cases every month. Khale’s death has shaken most of us long-distance cyclists. The Mumbai traffic police and BMC have failed our community, as they haven’t even recorded the number of road accidents involving cyclists nor have they catered towards our safety,” said a cyclist who did not wish to be named.

Firoza Suresh, an avid cyclist who commutes from her Juhu residence to her workplace at Dadar regularly said that riding in Mumbai came with its own set of challenges including the lack of apathy of motorists towards them as well as having to maneuver their bicycles on potholes, loose paver …read more