Thane scrambles for permanent solution to potholes, waterlogging

After receiving a lot of flak from residents over pothole-riddled roads and waterlogging this monsoon, Thane Municipal Corporation is planning to form a special

After receiving a lot of flak from residents over pothole-riddled roads and waterlogging this monsoon, Thane Municipal Corporation is planning to form a special committee to study potholes and reasons for water logging.

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With the city receiving 4453.18 mm of rainfall this year, most roads developed potholes, leading to traffic congestion across the city.

Through social networking platforms, motorists highlighted the bad roads and the hassles in travelling every day. The civic commissioner held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

A committee headed by additional commissioner Sameer Unhale will be formed to study the roads.

TMC chief Sanjeev Jaiswal said, “Around 30 roads have developed potholes, leading to waterlogging on these roads. Most developed countries in the world have bitumen roads. We will study the technique used for construction of the roads. We will check if such a technique is feasible on roads in Thane to make them pothole-free.”

The committee will also have experts on road engineering.

Jaiswal, who was in Japan last week, said the country has constructed a tunnel below the roads to harvest rainwater. “We can implement the concept here to ensure that the rainwater, instead of flooding roads, is collected and used. We have formed a second committee headed by additional commissioner Rajendra Ahiwar to look into this,” he added.

Apart from potholes, projects such as integrated nullah development, road concrettisation, model roads and construction of roads as per the Developmental Plan (DP) was also discussed. Road will be repaired after Diwali.

Jaiswal has also instructed officials to list roads which need to be widened or the new roads under development plan that are to be built.

He said, “I have also asked officials to make a list of illegal constructions, ladies bars and encroachments on footpaths in each of the ward. After Diwali a special anti-demolition squad will take action against the illegal establishments.”

Thane BJP corporator Milind Patankar said that forming such committees is a gimmick. He said, “It questions the method used to build roads till now. TMC only wants to increase its budget using words such as special committee, international standards and consultants. What about roads widened or constructed in the past five years? What method construction was used on these roads?”

City to be lit up

Five years ago, TMC began the tradition of lighting up the entire city during Diwali. The city was not lit up last year due to lack of sponsors. This year, the city will be lit-up, said the corporation.

TMC commissioner said, “We will change the city this Diwali. We will ensure the roads are motorable, the lakes are cleaned and beautified, roads, dividers and curbstones cleaned, washed and painted. The prime junction, public spaces and important locations in the city will be spic and span. We light up the entire city this Diwali.”