Western suburbs have the most potholed roads: BMC

Following a Bombay high court (HC) directive this week, the civic body has identified 20 adversely affected thoroughfares. The court had asked the corporation to give a roadmap and a plan for redressal of these roads

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has put together a report on Mumbai’s worst pothole-riddled roads, and the western suburbs have been marked red.

Mumbai, India - July 06, 2022: Potholes resurface on Western Express Highway (WEH) due to heavy rainfall at Vile Parle, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, July 06, 2022. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Following a Bombay high court (HC) directive this week, the civic body has identified 20 adversely affected thoroughfares. The court had asked the corporation to give a roadmap and a plan for redressal of these roads.

Ten pain points in the western suburbs are in Borivali, Malad and Aarey Milk Colony. Two bad roads identified are Kherwadi Road, in Bandra (East) and Appasaheb Siddhaye Road in Borivali (East). There are also those identified in Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH), including SV Road and Link Road.

In the eastern suburbs, five roads have been identified -- Sonapur lane, Village Road and Dargah Road in Bhandup (West), MN Road in Kurla (West) and DP Road No.9 in Powai. An equal number of roads have been identified in the island city as well.

When queried about the factors which determined the classification of the worst roads, MM Patel, chief engineer (roads), said, “We focussed on the ones where the foundation was weak which caused frequent potholes and could not be repaired with resurfacing.”

The BMC’s remedial measure is not resurfacing but reconstruction of the entire road with proper design and concretisation, which will be done in a holistic manner with correct storm water drain augmentation.

“The design will ensure that there are layers below with the top surface concretised. The storm water drain will run below. Once done, people will not have to worry about potholes on these roads for the next 20 years. We are yet to work out the cost,” Patel said.

The roads that come under the jurisdiction of the civic body will be taken up immediately. For instance, the S V Road – from Vile Parle to Dahisar is with BMC. The civic body will also look at Link Road.

With WEH and EEH, the BMC plans to take over from the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), after a government resolution is passed.

Hindustan Times had reported on September 18 BMC chief, Iqbal Singh Chahal’s plans to maintain both the highways.