Hyper local: Residents of Bandra Kurla Complex and Kalanagar join hands to put an end to the run of bikers

Some residents have started recording videos of these races which can be submitted to the traffic police. Others have started awareness campaigns in the localities to encourage people to complain against the races.

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Swati Bejamwar, another resident in the area, said, “We live on the second floor, which comes above noise barriers. The problem of these bikers is getting out of hand. They start their race after midnight and the noise continues for 20 minutes to sometimes an hour at a stretch, and then they return again. This goes on till 3.30 am every day and even further on weekends. However, now we will ensure that action is taken against them.”

Corporator Anil Triambakkar has started compiling information about the bikers – where they come from, how they operate, what bikes they use. “While on normal days they even ride normal bikes and scooties, we have found that these bikers hire high-end racing bikes on weekends. There are bets placed on the races that take place on the weekends,” said Triambakkar.

“More than the illegalities I am worried about the untimely death of these youths, most of whom are in their early twenties or even younger than that. These boys race between 12.30 and 3 am. We have written to the police asking them to arrange counselling sessions for these boys when they are nabbe”,” he added.

Apart from BKC, other favourite spots for bikes in Mumbai are Marine Drive, Bandra Reclamation, Carter Road and the famous Kherwadi junction on the Western Express Highway – where bikers meet every night to race and perform stunts.There have been several incidents t when residents have caught racing bikers and beaten them up or burnt their bikes on this stretch and have been involved in hit and run cases.