The accident was reported in in S ward, from where incidentally, the maximum number of pothole complaints have been flagged by citizens. (Representational image)After a 59-year-old motorist was killed in what was perhaps the season’s first pothole-related fatality, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched an inspection of the site in Powai and is slated to submit a report to determine the next course of action.On Saturday, Lalu Kamble (59) fell after his scooter lost balance upon crashing into a pothole along JVLR road in Powai and was killed as he was run over by a dumper truck. Following the accident, Kamble — a civil contractor by profession—was taken to the Rajawadi Hospital by police officials, where he was declared dead.A resident of Andheri East’s Sher-e-Punjab society, Kamble was on in way to meet a friend in the Hiranandani area in Powai when the mishap occurred around 2pm on Saturday. Kamble is survived by his wife, two sons and his daughter.The accident was reported in in S ward, from where incidentally, the maximum number of pothole complaints have been flagged by citizens. While 7,101 complaints have been registered by citizens through channels such as ‘Pothole Quickfix’ app and WhatsApp chatbot between June and July 30, 1,455 pothole woes — highest across all wards — have emerged in the S ward area, where Powai is situated.Following the accident, officials from the S ward said concerned officials from the roads department inspected the site and is currently preparing a report on the incident. “The next course of action will be determined on the basis of the findings of the report,” said the civic body in a letter dated July 28.Meanwhile, the police has arrested the dumper driver in the case while the civic body also filled the pothole, in the aftermath of the mishap.Speaking to The Indian Express, Vijay Kamble, Lalu’s younger son, called for action against the BMC contractor, whose negligence triggered the mishap.“None of us in the family have been able to come to terms with the fact that my father is no more. He was a healthy and fit man. We just can’t believe that he lost his life so suddenly because of something like a pothole. If there had been no pothole, my father would still be alive. This accident was the result of the neglect of the BMC appointed contractor and the people responsible should be held accountable,” said Vijay Kamble.Story continues below this adRajan Maknikar, a friend of Kamble, alleged, “While Lalu Kamble managed to swerve and escape one pothole, his bike fell after hitting a second pothole. Due to the impact, his bike flung on one side and Lalu landed on another side, where a dumper ran through his right arm. For nearly 40 – 45 minutes, he lay on the road awaiting help and then lost another crucial hour while reaching the Rajawadi hospital.”This year, the BMC has deployed one road engineer in each of the 227 wards to proactively identify potholes and fix them within a timeframe of 24 – 48 hours. The objective, officials said, is to fix pits when they are smaller to avoid inconvenience to citizens.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Mumbai Police