The second spell of heavy rain that started last week has washed away all the tall claims the BMC has been making about Mumbai’s roads becoming pothole-free in two years. Many of the city and suburbs’ roads are riddled with craters that appear regularly year after year, angering citizens. Though most of the arterial roads have been converted into cement concrete ones now and they are in better shape, patches of asphalt on these roads have also created potholes that hinder the speed of vehicles.
Updated On: 2023-07-25 10:18 AM IST
Compiled by : Editor
The repaired area measures around 11,038 metres. Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu said, “The pre-monsoon road maintenance work on the entire Western Express Highway is commendable. Officials have been ordered to repair potholes on the Eastern Express Highway. Although there is a deadline of 48 hours to fill potholes after receiving a complaint, efforts are being made to fill potholes within 24 hours using Cold Mix technology.” Pic/Anurag Ahire
But commuters are already facing the same fate this monsoon. The BMC has awarded a contract worth Rs 6,080 crore to concrete 400 km of roads this February. “But none of the roads were completed before the monsoon,” alleged Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT)leader. Pic/Satej Shinde
“The BMC had teams in each ward to monitor potholes. The BMC is spending Rs 125 crore on resurfacing bad patches of roads. Each ward has also been given R2 crore for repairs of potholes. The BMC had also allotted R48 crore to wards. It uses reactive asphalt and Rapid Hardening Concrete technology to repair potholes. In the western suburbs, the work of filling potholes on the roads towards the south is done well. This is one of the best works in Mumbai amid the monsoon,” claimed a BMC official. Pic/Anurag Ahire
Vikhroli station road is the worst for pedestrians as well as vehicles. The Kannamwar Nagar internal road is the worst example of how the civic authority repairs potholes. The BMC repaired some patches in June but there are potholes on them again. “The BMC had kept highways and potholes free but what about internal roads which are mainly used by senior citizens and school children?” said Vaibha Zhende, a resident of Vikhroli. Pic/Satej Shinde
“The internal roads of Ghatkopar’s Pantnagar are badly affected. We heard the figures of crores of rupees which the BMC is going to spend on repairing potholes. But there is no work done on ground. The authorities should think about internal roads which are badly damaged. It is difficult to ride two-wheelers on internal roads. Many two-wheeler riders face back pain. I have also seen some bike riders fall due to potholes,” said Sachin Manjrekar, a resident.
“There is a six-inch-deep pothole measuring 4 by 8 feet in Bandra. Locals say their buildings vibrate and water splashes into their shops when a vehicle passes by. We have been complaining about this,” said Mushtaq Ansari, an activist from Bandra. “Potholes have emerged everywhere on Bandra’s Hill Road. The BMC filled up the potholes on SV Road with Cold Mix after we tweeted but it will wash out after a few spells like every year,” he added. Pic/Nimesh Dave
