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By:

Dr. Abhilash Dawre

19 March 2025 at 5:18:41 pm

Youth dies in Bhiwandi pothole crash

Bhiwandi: A tragic accident on the Bhiwandi-Kalyan road has claimed the life of a 19-year-old college student due to poor road conditions. Raj Niranjan Singh, a B.Com student and the only son in his family, died on the spot near Saibaba Mandir in the Temghar area early Thursday morning. The accident was caused by an uneven road surface and potholes, leading to the two-wheeler skidding and Singh being run over by a container truck.   Raj Singh was riding home with a friend on a two-wheeler...

Youth dies in Bhiwandi pothole crash

Bhiwandi: A tragic accident on the Bhiwandi-Kalyan road has claimed the life of a 19-year-old college student due to poor road conditions. Raj Niranjan Singh, a B.Com student and the only son in his family, died on the spot near Saibaba Mandir in the Temghar area early Thursday morning. The accident was caused by an uneven road surface and potholes, leading to the two-wheeler skidding and Singh being run over by a container truck.   Raj Singh was riding home with a friend on a two-wheeler when the vehicle lost balance due to a pothole. Both fell onto the road, and a container truck approaching from behind ran over Raj, killing him instantly. His friend, who was riding pillion, survived the accident. A case has been registered at the Shantinagar Police Station, and the driver of the container truck has been booked.   The condition of roads in Bhiwandi both in urban and rural areas continues to worsen, posing serious risks to commuters. Uneven surfaces caused by concrete patches and paver blocks, along with large potholes, have made travel dangerous, particularly for two-wheeler riders. This year alone, six lives have been lost in similar incidents caused by potholes in the Bhiwandi region.   Following the incident, Raj’s family and local residents have expressed deep grief and anger. “How many more lives will it take for the administration to wake up?” questioned Raj’s family in anguish. His father, Niranjan Singh, said, “My son died because of a pothole. Just look at the condition of that road. If there was no pothole, my son would still be alive today. He was my only child. What are we supposed to do now?”   Senior Police Inspector Vinayak Gaikwad confirmed the details of the accident and stated that a thorough investigation is underway.   The tragic death of the young student has sparked outrage in the community, with residents demanding urgent and permanent solutions to the worsening road conditions and traffic issues in the city.

Salary Increased? What Next?

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Festivals, bonuses, and pay raises often bring smiles, family celebrations, and a sense of achievement. But look closely at how most professionals react to an annual increment or promotion - the celebrations usually take the form of a new phone, a bigger car, or signing up for another EMI. The financial “upgrade” is often about expenses and liabilities, not investments.


This is where many people miss the real opportunity. Every jump in salary is not just a chance to spend more today, but also a chance to secure tomorrow. If your income keeps rising but your investments don’t, your future standard of living may not match your present one. Inflation, rising lifestyle expectations, and bigger financial responsibilities can easily outpace the wealth you have built if your Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) remain stagnant.


Lifestyle inflation trap

When income rises, people naturally feel entitled to improve their lifestyle. While that is only fair, the danger lies in allocating the entire increment to consumption. Yes, a balance between spending, new liabilities, and increasing investments is important after a new job, promotion, or annual increment. A bigger car EMI, a fancier holiday, or a premium gadget gives instant gratification, but does nothing to strengthen long-term wealth. Over time, this leads to a mismatch: expenses grow with each increment, but wealth doesn’t compound at the same pace.


SIP increment rule

A simple discipline can change this trajectory: every promotion, job change, or salary hike should trigger an increase in your systematic investments. Whether in mutual funds, stocks, or gold, your SIPs must keep pace with your career. A thumb rule worth following - anchor your monthly savings to at least 30% of in-hand monthly income. This ensures that your future wealth grows faster than your present lifestyle.


Take a simple example. Consider someone who starts a ₹10,000 SIP and keeps it flat (constant) for 20 years. At a 12% return, this will grow to around ₹92 lakh. Now, if the same person increases the SIP by just ₹1,000 every year (linked to increments), the corpus after 20 years jumps to nearly ₹1.5 crore. That’s the power of aligning investments with income growth. A simple 10% increase in SIPs can enhance your wealth by as much as 50% in 20 years.


Wealth is real promotion

Think of it this way - your job role gets upgraded, your salary gets upgraded, your lifestyle gets upgraded… shouldn’t your financial future also get upgraded? By consciously directing a part of every raise towards investments, you are not just rewarding yourself today but also ensuring that tomorrow’s standard of living remains secure.


(The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor.Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

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