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Activists choose auspicious day to protest city’s pothole-riddled roads
Potholes have surfaced on all city roads after the incessant rain.
Potholes have surfaced on all city roads after the incessant rain.
Like every year, commuters and activists have been crying hoarse highlighting the apathy of Thane Municipal Corporation.
On Wednesday, Thane-based group Jaag offered coconut to potholes across the city.
The day was celebrated as Narali Purnima, a festival of the Koli community.
The community across the state of Maharashtra offer coconut to the sea requesting it to calm down after monsoon so that the fishermen can go for fishing again.
The protest was organised near Nitin Company junction.
Sanjay Mangala Gopal, social activist, said, “The condition of roads in the city was not so bad 15 years ago. The corporation spends crores of rupees on roads but they are in a bad shape. It is a tradition to offer coconut to the sea on this auspicious occasion of Narali Purnima. We too are offering coconut to potholes so that they do not claim any life in the city.”
Jaag claimed that they had tried complaining to the corporation over potholes but no action has been taken.
Ashish Bhoir, president of Gaonthan Committee, said, “We throw coconuts into the creek every year on Narali Purnima but the corporation has brought the creek to us. We pay taxes to the corporation but we are deprived of good roads.”
The municipal corporation claimed the pothole filling work was in progress.
Ravindra Khadtale, city engineer of TMC, said, “We have begun the survey of potholes across the city. The work of filling the potholes has also begun and we are filing them as and when we get a dry spell.”
