Ulhasnagar civic body begins repair work on road after banner sought crowdfunding

A week after a resident of Ashele–Manere village in Kalyan put up a banner asking for funds to repair the road in his locality, the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation has initiated repairing the stretch in the last two days

A week after a resident of Ashele–Manere village in Kalyan put up a banner asking for funds to repair the road in his locality, the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) has initiated repairing the stretch in the last two days.

Ulhasnagar civic body begins repair work on road after a banner by a photographer recently sought crowdfunding. (PRAMOD TAMBE/HT PHOTO)

In the crowdfunding initiated by Rupesh Sasane, 33, a photographer by profession, he managed to raise only ₹1,500.

“I initiated the crowdfunding through the banner so that at least this will awaken the authority. I am glad the UMC has taken note of this and has initiated repairing the road. The funds raised by me will be given to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) commissioner for the developmental work of the road,” said Sasane.

This particular 1-2km stretch connecting the road falls under both UMC and KDMC jurisdictions. Sasane pays tax to KDMC and hence has decided to hand over the funds to the KDMC chief.

In the banner, Sasane requested residents to contribute at least ₹300 and raise funds to undertake the road repair work in the area. He has displayed pictures of the deadly potholes on the stretch since 2015.

“This particular stretch is one of the major connecting roads for the residents of Ashele–Manere village to Kalyan, Ulhasnagar and Ambernath. The village is one of the 27 villages that were added to KDMC. Now, after this repair work is done, we expect the proposed cement concretisation work of this road will be taken up soon without delay and we will follow up for the same,” said Sasane.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) for this road has sanctioned ₹17Cr for the concretisation of this road.

An officer from UMC who did not wish to be named said, “We have asked the contractor to get the road repaired so that people can commute and walk safely. The tender process for the cement concretisation work will be done soon.”