One for the road

It is true that a reporter must necessarily get into the soul of the subject at hand and re-live the pain and exhilaration as the case may...

It is true that a reporter must necessarily get into the soul of the subject at hand and re-live the pain and exhilaration as the case may be. However, to step into the shoes of a Kargil widow as she narrates the tragedy that has befallen her family or cry tears of joy as a large gathering of parents did when a heart specialist from Chennai offered a new lease of life to their children suffering congenital heart disease these still remain someone elseacirc;euro;trade;s experiences.

It affects you much more deeply when a Limca book record holderacirc;euro;trade;s head is crushed under the wheels of a recklessly driven garbage dumper On The Very Pune-Solapur Road Where You Live! But nothing rattles you more and chills you to the bone more effectively when you confront a mishap victim gasping for life, even as insensitive road users prefer to look the other way. Heck, has life become so cheap? And where have all the good Samaritans disappeared? Or was it always like this?

So, I am all fired up when Hadapsar ward corporator Rajlakshmi Bhosale raves and rants at the general body meeting of the Pune Municipal Corporation, demanding better road conditions. Frankly, during the Corporation meeting that I cover, were she to want to strangle any of those officials who seek to wish her and her complaints away, I would most happily jump to her assistance.

However, pray, whose road it it anyway, especially when it has been left riddled with potholes, nay, make that craters? It seems like the cityacirc;euro;trade;s entire traffic has descended on this road. Poor road conditions and deaths occurring on it are hardly of much consequence in a hard-hearted Pune. But consider the statistics involved at least two persons are killed on the Pune-Solapur road every month. And the list of injured victims8230; bah! Donacirc;euro;trade;t even ask. In any case, while statistics do tell their own story, they can often desensitise.

Each one keeps passing the buck on to the other. The Public Works Department PWD self-righteously says that it handed the road to the Pune Municipal Corporation in 1997 for maintenance. The Corporation, which wants to widen the road to 150 feet, claims that portions of the land belong to the Pune Cantonment Board. So problem, problem, problem. No street lights and more accidents. Plus, there are callous politicians who have virtually stalled widening of the road in their zeal to extend patronage to a string of unauthorised stalls.

Where do we go from here? Yes, road dividers have come up. Only, they seem to have left a trail of unwanted debris around. And there are a few street lights which vividly shine on the craters, oops, potholes. A rigid compound wall obstructing traffic has also been done away with. But the Pune Municipal Corporation has no money to acquire properties. And even if it does, it will take years before the process gets underway. It is a story as old as time.

I still take the road muttering under my breath and pray that some day better sense will prevail. And with the perseverance of a King Bruce, I shall continue to write about the pathetic condition of the road till it is safe for travel.

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In the meantime, to count the days till that happy time, to preserve my patience, I shall continue counting the potholes.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More