Mumbai: Rs 553 cr Naigaon-Virar fully concreted stretch develops potholes

Huge cracks have developed on the new concrete road

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad stretch of road between Naigaon and Virar is once again facing criticism for poor construction quality. The newly constructed cement concrete road is already showing signs of wear, with cracks and potholes developing. Commuters and motorists have raised concerns, suggesting that substandard materials may have been used.

The ongoing white-topping project on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway stretches between Varsova Bridge and Acchad near the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. The work is being undertaken by the NHAI with a budget of '553 crore sanctioned by the central government.

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Because of the ongoing construction work, motorists travelling on NH48 have to face a lot of inconveniences as long traffic jams take place during morning and evening peak hours. Time and again the motorists and commuters using this road have taken to social media and expressed their anger for the inconvenience it is causing.

Uneven road stretch between Varsova Bridge and Acchad. PICS/RANJEET JADHAV

On Saturday, this reporter travelled along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH48 stretch between Varsova Bridge and Virar Phata. During the journey, it was observed that while the construction of the concrete (CC) road is underway at several locations, the newly constructed CC road has already developed cracks in many places, with cement peeling off, resulting in an uneven road surface.

The NH48 road surface and the roads atop flyovers, where NHAI has implemented CC road construction, are showing similar issues. Cracks have also appeared on the CC roads of some flyovers. The uneven road surface poses a significant hazard, particularly at night, making it difficult for motorists and two-wheeler riders to navigate, thus increasing the risk of accidents.

Motorist Anand Patil said, "Union Minister Nitin Gadkari should suspend the NHAI officials responsible for monitoring the work and take action against the contractor, not just by terminating the contract but also by blacklisting them."

Another motorist, Aditya Gupta, said, "The state of the newly constructed road stretch on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway NH48, in both the north and southbound directions between Virar and Versova Bridge, clearly indicates that substandard materials were used. The concrete is coming off in many areas, and cracks and uneven surfaces have developed. Will the authorities take serious action against the contractor and the officers responsible, or will taxpayers' money continue to be wasted?"