One week of rain and potholes emerge

Residents in Mumbai are reporting the emergence of potholes on arterial roads as the monsoon season begins. Despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation taking over maintenance of the Western Express Highway and the Eastern Express Highway, potholes have been reported on both roads. The BMC has issued tenders worth over ?140 crore to fill potholes, but heavy rainfall has caused waterlogging and damage to the roads. The BMC is working to fix the potholes as a priority using new technologies such as reactive asphalt. The city has already surpassed the normal rainfall threshold for June.

Intro: Despite new technologies and BMC taking over maintenance of WEH, EEH, residents find most roads unmotorable as monsoon picks up pace

HT Image

Mumbai: It has only been one week since the rains began in Mumbai and people have started reporting the emergence of potholes on arterial roads in different parts of the city.

Last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), for the first time, took over the maintenance of the Western Express Highway (WEH) and the Eastern Express Highway (EEH).

Moreover, the BMC had issued tenders worth more than ₹140 crore to fill potholes in April with ‘reactive asphalt’ and ‘rapid hardening concrete’ technologies in the city and the suburbs.

On Friday, however, the Mumbai Traffic Police had to tweet, “Due to potholes on the south-bound of WEH at Bhajiwadi, Centaur bridge traffic has been slowed down. Motorists are requested to use SV Road to commute towards South Mumbai.” It also tagged the K East ward of the BMC.

Despite the tenders and the BMC taking over the maintenance of the WEH and the EEH, potholes were reported on both these highways. Stretches on the EEH, around Bhandup and Vikhroli, had craters.

Iqbal Chahal, municipal commissioner and administrator said, “Last year between June 11 and June 30, Mumbai received around 290mm of rainfall, whereas this year we have received more than 600mm of rainfall in just seven days. Due to waterlogging, water enters the bitumen mix causing potholes.”

“I have asked my team to fix potholes as a priority. We are fixing the potholes on a war footing,” chahal added. The potholes on the WEH were fixed in the evening after Chahal spoke to HT.

Commuters also faced a problem as the Andheri subway was shut multiple times through the day due to water logging.

Although the subway was opened whenever water was drained out, SV Road nearby faced traffic jams. The second alternate route closest to Gokhale bridge, the Vile Parle east west flyover, faced congestion in the morning after a container rammed into the height barrier of the bridge.

The BMC said that the authorities rushed to the spot and traffic was diverted. The height barrier was removed using gas cutters and then the traffic was allowed on the flyover.

The BMC issued a press statement saying, “Although the impact of the container damaged the height barrier, there was no damage to the structure of the bridge.”

Meanwhile, about the potholes, the BMC issued a press statement saying that because of the new ‘reactive asphalt’ technology used for filling potholes, it could open the potholed roads in just two hours.

The BMC said that it is the first time that reactive asphalt material is being used to fill potholes and that reactive asphalt mix bags have been provided to all the 24 wards in the city.

BMC officials added that it will continue to use rapid hardening and cold mix technologies. Cold mix technology will be used on roads narrower than six meters, said the BMC.

“So far 1,300 metric tonnes of cold mix have been supplied to all the wards in Mumbai for filling potholes. While 200 metric tons of cold mix has been kept in reserve.” said the BMC.

Rainfall surpasses June average

The city surpassed the normal rainfall threshold for June on Friday. As of 5:30pm, Mumbai had received 549.6mm of rain, which is 2% more than the long period average of 537mm, as per the data from India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) base weather station in Santacruz. The IMD’s coastal station in Colaba, however, continues to see a deficit having received 424.8mm of rain this month, which is 21% less than its long period average of 542.3mm. Moderate to heavy showers are likely to continue across the city till July 4, though the intensity of rain will taper off July 2 onward, as per official forecasts.

Water cut:

The BMC will be implementing a 10% water cut across the city starting today. Iqbal Chahal, BMC commissioner and administrator, said, “The lakes levels are still not satisfactory hence the water cut will be implemented.”

Voices

There’s been a lot of ambiguity around the Andheri subway over the past few days; one hour it’s open, and the other, it’s shut. All plans about commuting go for a toss. Right now, it’s the only route between Andheri East and West by road, and even the metro is crowded. There are a lot of hospitals and schools on the periphery of Andheri East, which is concerning.

- Suheil Merchant, Andheri resident

The 1.2km stretch of LBS road from Asian Paints to Bhandup station is unmotorable. The middle portion is closed due to metro work, and on the 1/4th road available on both sides, there are potholes the size of craters. Any biker can lose balance and get run over by a car or truck. Many senior citizens are forced to walk on the road as there’s no footpath.

- Rakesh Valeja, Bhandup resident

The entire Mumbai is filled with potholes. I take photos to upload them on twitter and tag officials, but the situation only gets worse. Within three days of rain, the newly constructed roads around Dahisar check naka have 30 to 40 potholes. It’s extremely unsafe to travel on the roads. I travel from Mira Road to Malad daily on bike, but I’ve been parking my bike at Anand Nagar metro station and switching to the metro just to avoid the potholes.

- Zafar Sayed, Mira Road resident

I have been tweeting about the spot near the post office on SV Road in Malad West for the last one year, but it is still as potholed as ever. I had sent multiple reminders to the BMC through twitter and pictures, but it is shocking to see that the situation remains the same and will only get worse this year. If you go a little ahead on the same road, there have been potholes on the Chincholi road signal since September 2022. Despite reminders, they have not fixed it.

- Bhavesh Cheeda, Malad resident