Mumbai: 3,000 sq m of potholes repaired, says BMC

Before: The road is now motorable after BMC got the contractor to repair it, on Friday

The BMC claimed it has filled 3,000 sq metres of potholes on city roads with rapid hardening concrete this monsoon. While many roads remain dotted with crater-sized holes, the civic body has fixed several stretches highlighted by mid-day in earlier reports including the road near Pratiksha Nagar bus depot, station road in Kurla. It added that it has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh to each ward to buy cold mix from the open market.

On Friday: Huge potholes cover the road near the bus depot in Pratiksha Nagar last week. Pics/Atul Kamble

Civic officials said as the Pratiksha Nagar road was under defect liability period, the contractor was asked to fill the potholes immediately. BMC added that the contractor responsible for maintaining the road for the duration of defect liability period undertook repairs here on July 19, July 26, August 12 and September 21.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also claimed that they have filled 3,000 sq metres of potholes on city roads with rapid hardening concrete this monsoon. Despite this, potholes continue to dot the roads.

Also read: Mumbai pothole menace: Lack of funds, cold mix lead to delay in road repair work

Before: Potholes dot station road in Kurla on September 16

On the topic of cold mix to repair the potholes, officials said that as on Friday, BMC has fulfilled the entire requirement of the same, ie 3,004 metric tonne, as stated by the 24 wards in March this year. They, however, kept mum on its own stock being used up and if the additional demands from the wards were fulfilled. One civic official said, "We have sanctioned additional funds of Rs 5 lakh for each ward to buy cold mix from the open market."

After: The stretch of the station road, which had several potholes, was found fixed on Friday. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

He added that apart from the grant for buying cold mix, BMC is also in the process of sanctioning additional funds to repair potholes by contractors. mid-day had earlier reported that several wards had already exhausted the fund allotted for the same.

Dhaval Shah, civic activist and member of Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens' Association, said despite BMC's claims, potholes on city roads remain a reality. Calling cold mix a waste of taxpayers' money, he said, "It gets washed away within a few days as it cannot withstand the load of traffic. It not only costs in terms of the material which goes to waste but also time, fuel, money and manpower."

Rs 5lakh
Funds allotted to each ward to buy cold mix