Nagpur: It is not a smooth or safe way for the morning walkers, specially the senior citizens at the Khamla-Airport Road, an alternate road for commuters moving through airport, to avoid traffic congestion on Wardha road in view on ongoing metro rail works.
Despite a ban on four-wheeler on the said road from 11 pm to 8 am, one can easily notice four-wheelers zooming past at break-neck speed whole night till 5 to 5.30 am on any given day, posing serious threat to the walkers and joggers.
To add to the problem, youngsters and some anti-social elements frequenting the place with beer cans and bottles is also a regular scene on the stretch during late hours in the night. Often beer cans and broken bottles are strewn on the road. With the onset of summer, morning walkers, particularly senior citizen venture out of their houses as early as 4 am when it is still dark. Hence, there is every possibility of the fitness freaks getting injured. Some of the morning walkers have appealed to the authorities to look into the problem and ensure strict ban of vehicular movement from 11 pm to 8 am giving them a respite.
When contacted, Senior Airport Director V S Mulekar said that the road leading from Khamla to Airport was opened on the repeated demands from the local residents in addition to representation by the local corporator and it lies under the jurisdiction of Maharashtra Airport Development Company.
However, looking at convenience of the people, it was opened for traffic. It’s condition was not good, but we got it repaired and then dedicated it to the public. The traffic on any of the roads leading to airports cannot be closed because it causes inconvenience to the flight passengers and we have in the past received a number of complaints of passengers missing their flights. The flight passengers have the first right on the road and their convenience also has to be given due consideration, Mulekar added.
By Awadhoot Pathak
