Navi Mumbai: A 50-year-old woman was killed after allegedly being hit by a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) garbage truck while crossing Thane-Belapur Road near Turbhe railway station around 5 pm on October 26. The tragedy has reignited public anger over the five-year delay in completing the Turbhe Store flyover.

The deceased, Chhaya Gaikwad, a resident of Turbhe Store, died on the spot while returning home. Following the accident, angry residents blocked the road, blaming the civic administration for failing to provide safe pedestrian crossing facilities.

Protesters demanded that flyover construction be expedited, a temporary footbridge be installed immediately and traffic regulation improved. Turbhe police and traffic police intervened to clear the blockade, restoring traffic movement gradually after disruption during evening rush hour.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) approved a four-lane, 560-metre flyover at Turbhe Store Junction in 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs 41 crore. The contract was awarded to Mahavir Roads and Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.

However, construction faced repeated hurdles, including an MIDC sewer line beneath the road, design complications, and administrative delays. Work resumed after IIT Bombay approved a revised design, but the project remains incomplete.

The accident has highlighted the risks faced by pedestrians on the busy industrial corridor, which is used daily by workers, students and residents. Local accounts indicate that 23 people have died and more than 50 have been injured in accidents in the area over the past decade.

Residents have urged the authorities to announce a firm completion deadline and introduce immediate safety measures, warning that further delays could cost more lives.