Thane Woman Suffers Severe Injuries After Falling In Open Gutter, Blames Civic Body For Negligence

A 36-year-old woman sustained severe injuries after falling into a gutter with a broken cover in Diva, Thane district. The incident occurred on February 27, 2024, as she was on her way to pick up her children from school on Mumbara Devi Colony Road, near Bharat Bank. She suffered a fractured leg, along with serious injuries to her elbow and finger, rendering her unable to move or sit comfortably. Her husband, a vegetable vendor, highlighted that several senior citizens have also been injured at the same spot due to the poor condition of gutters and manholes. Mumbra Devi Colony serves as a prominent route in Diva, used by thousands of commuters daily. Concerned citizens and activists accuse the TMC of neglecting Diva's residents, despite numerous complaints and letters to the municipal corporation.

The woman has been identified as Seema Sanjay Vaishya who has 3 kids and resides in Diva’s Sadguru Nagar. At about 5 pm, she was walking on the footpath when she fell into the gutter that was kept half open. Her left leg completely went inside and is undergoing treatment. “I am suffering from immense pain. I could not even walk, sit, and move properly. I was about to reach the school and then I fell into it as the gutter was not in a proper condition. Until I realized anything, the blood started coming out of my leg as I was hit by an iron rod,” told Seema to LokmatTimes.com. Seema’s husband Sanjay said that such half-open gutters are also posing a serious threat to the school students of nearby Green Valley English School. “For the last 2 days, Sanjay has not gone to sell vegetables and continuously monitoring the health situation of his wife as some of her skin has also blackened. Dressing needs to be done frequently. 

Just 10 meters from the recent accident spot,  there is another open gutter due to which citizens have faced many injuries until now. There are approximately 25 half-opened gutters in a distance of 1 kilometer. Local MNS leader Prashant Gawade told LokmatTimes.Com , “TMC is just swaying away its responsibility. The entire Diva is facing issues due to half-opened gutters. TMC doesn’t have a permanent solution to this serious threat. The municipal body should at least give compensation to the families of the injured. From time and again, we have informed the TMC but no action taken.” Gavde said that some TMC employees who come to round-up are informed about this issue but it doesn’t reach the higher level. The nearby residents alleged that there are a few careless TMC employees when they come to clean gutters, they break the gutter covers and then don’t install them again. 

Residents in Diva are also requesting that concrete speed breakers be installed immediately on all major and internal roads in Diva City, similar to those installed on the road from Global School to Dativali Gate by the Municipal Corporation. Some rubber speed breakers have been damaged or destroyed within a few months. Motorists often deliberately damage these rubber speed breakers. Recently an accident took place in Bedekar Nagar due to the absence of a speed breaker.