Ex-corporator to BMC: Launch pothole portal, fine engineers ₹5K for delays

To ensure accountability, Narwekar has proposed stringent penalties for delays in repair work. He recommended that road engineers and contractors be fined ₹5,000 per pothole for every day repairs remain pending beyond 48 hours of being reported

Mumbai: Following a spell of unseasonal rain that left Mumbai’s streets waterlogged and riddled with potholes, former BJP corporator from Colaba, Makarand Narwekar, has written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demanding the creation of a dedicated pothole complaint portal and a real-time public dashboard to track road repairs.

Kalyan, India - September 17, 2021: Big pothole on Subhash Bridge (ROB) that connects Kalyan and Ulhasnagar cities, in Kalyan, India, on Friday, September 17, 2021. (Photo by Rishikesh Choudhary/ Hindustan Times) (HT PHOTO)

In a letter addressed to BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Narwekar highlighted the recurring issue of potholes, particularly during the monsoon, calling it a matter of urgent civic concern.

“To effectively tackle this annual menace, the BMC must establish a robust pothole management system that enables citizens to easily lodge complaints and monitor their resolution within a fixed timeframe,” he wrote. “A real-time dashboard, accessible to the public, should be developed to display the status of pothole repairs across the city.”

To ensure accountability, Narwekar has proposed stringent penalties for delays in repair work. He recommended that road engineers and contractors be fined ₹5,000 per pothole for every day repairs remain pending beyond 48 hours of being reported.

He also criticised the slow pace of the civic body’s ongoing road concretisation project in south Mumbai, warning that the May 31 deadline is unlikely to be met. “If the current pace continues, Mumbaikars will again be forced to endure pothole-ridden roads throughout the monsoon,” he cautioned.