‘No repairs, no potholes for the next 25 years’: Eknath Shinde

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde promises pothole-free Mumbai roads for 25 years, with ongoing concretisation work and strict quality checks against contractors.

MUMBAI: In a bold assurance to Mumbai’s citizens, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has declared that once concretised, Mumbai’s roads will remain pothole-free for the next quarter century. “No durusti, no khadda (No repairs, no potholes) for 25 years,” he said during his inspection tour of ongoing road concretisation work on Tuesday.

Mumbai, India - April 15, 2025:Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and Additional Municipal Corporation Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, inspected the ongoing concrete road works in Mumbai City and Eastern Suburbs Division, at Bombay Hospital, Fort, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The BMC is currently racing against a May 31 deadline to complete 400 km of road concretisation. Of the 700 roads taken up in Phase 1, 260 roads have been completed. In Phase 2, work has been undertaken on 1,421 roads, of which 56 are completed. Many more stretches are partially done across the city.

For roads that remain unconcretised before the monsoon, interim measures such as geopolymer filling, rapid hardening concrete, micro-surfacing, mastic, and infrared technology will be used to keep them pothole-free. A total of 1,333 km of roads have been concretised so far under the ambitious ‘Pothole-Free Mumbai’ project.

Shinde’s inspection began near Bombay Hospital in A Ward and continued across various parts of the city, including R S Sapre Marg in C Ward, Jame Jamshed Marg in Matunga (F North Ward), and Road No 21 in Chembur (M West Ward). During the tour, he also interacted with local residents.

To ensure accountability, Shinde has directed civic chief and administrator Bhushan Gagrani to display the names and contact numbers of both BMC and contractor engineers at all work sites. Citizens will now be able to directly report any quality concerns regarding road work.

Strict action is being taken against substandard work. “A BMC contractor has already been debarred for compromising on quality,” Shinde informed the media. “IIT Bombay is conducting surprise inspections at ready-mix concrete plants. Any lapses are reported directly to the BMC, and swift action follows.”

The deputy CM emphasised that cement concrete roads were the permanent solution to Mumbai’s recurring pothole woes. “They come with a guarantee of 25 to 30 years,” he said. No road will be dug up unnecessarily, and we will ensure zero potholes this monsoon.”

So far, fines amounting to ₹3.50 crore have been levied on contractors for poor-quality work, and both the contractors and the responsible civic officials from assistant engineers to assistant municipal commissioners are being held accountable. Shinde warned that penalties, debarring or termination awaited those who failed to meet standards.

The road concretisation initiative was launched in 2023 during Shinde’s tenure as chief minister and is one of his flagship infrastructure projects. The BMC awarded contracts worth ₹6,080 crore in January 2023 to five firms for 397 km of roadwork, the largest such contract in the civic body’s history. “Such steps should have been taken years ago,” said Shinde. “It would have saved taxpayers a lot of money.”

The deputy CM said that high-quality M40 and M60 grade concrete was being used depending on the traffic load, and roads were being built with utility ducts to prevent repeated digging. “These roads are scientifically designed to last, and will offer smoother and safer travel for all Mumbaikars,” he said.

Shinde also issued directives regarding tree protection, following complaints from Dadar Parsi Colony residents about damage to trees due to ongoing road concreting work. He instructed the BMC to clear all construction debris once the work was completed, and mandated that a one-metre perimeter around each tree be refilled with soil to prevent choking and ensure the trees’ health.