Two water tankers parked side by side just meters away from the spot where a boy tragically lost his life after being hit by a water tanker two days ago. (Express Photo/Arul Horizon)Gracia Dora, 22, a resident of Nancy Towers in Wanowrie, lost her life on Tuesday after being struck by a water tanker as she was riding her two-wheeler at the bridge near Ganga Satellite Society in Wanowrie. She was trapped under the front wheel and succumbed to her injuries. The driver, Santoshkumar Indradevprasad Maurya, was arrested.Wanowrie police Inspector Bhausaheb Patil said the medical test showed the tanker driver had not consumed alcohol. There are no CCTV cameras near the accident spot, the police said.Just two days ago on April 5, 19-year-old student Ariz Shaikh died after his two-wheeler was struck by an intoxicated tanker driver near NIBM Annex. Residents of the area are outraged by the deaths and the prolonged negligence of authorities to the risk posed by tankers.Sunil Koloti of the Mohammadwadi-Undri Residents Welfare Development Foundation said lack of PMC water pipelines in the area has fuelled the demand for tankers. “PMC needs to lay the pipelines as soon as possible so tankers are not required. Further, the drivers of these tankers are not well-trained. They are either on their phones or they are drunk, or the vehicles are not in proper condition. Either the vehicles’ registration or insurance and PUC are expired. These are the areas the traffic police should focus on.”“The tanker owners have political connections and the vehicles are mostly driven by untrained drivers. Driving a tanker is not easy and requires proper trained,” Koloti added.Koloti said a meeting with Kalepadal police station officers was scheduled on Tuesday afternoon but was cancelled. The meeting will now most likely take place on Wednesday. A candle march to pay respect to those who have lost their lives in such accidents is also being planned.Sudha Menon, a resident of Undri, said, “It is distressing that the municipal authorities and elected representatives turn a blind eye to the problems faced by ordinary citizens. Water tankers running amok in Salunke Vihar and Undri road have claimed two innocent lives in the last two days. Why are our traffic police not reining in these drivers? Why do human lives matter so little? Also, it is sad to see the once verdant hilltops on Undri road now become a mountain of garbage. The already narrow road has also been encroached by hawkers. I have registered complaints in PMC Care, but they are mysteriously “closed” without even being resolved.”Story continues below this adMassive overhead tanks constructed opposite the Dorabjee’s Royal Heritage Mall have been dysfunctional for the past many years. These tanks were meant to provide piped water reducing reliance on water tankers.Prachi Alhat, BJP corporator for Mohammadwadi-Undri (Ward 41) and a member of the PMC standing committee, said these tanks would be functional within the next one month. “Societies like Raheja and others will then get piped water.”She added, “However, areas like Pisoli and others are newly added to our ward. We will need to get pipeline connections here but that will have to start from zero.”Similarly, Shewta Ghule, NCP corporator from the same ward, said the tanks will be functional in the next one or two months. “The number of tankers will decrease once the tanks become functional. We are also telling the tankers to ply during the night and not during the day. We will also talk to traffic police about speed limits that should be followed in every area,” she said. Both the corporators denied any nexus between politicians and the tanker owners.Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:road accident