Deadline ends, potholes stay on 300 roads

MUMBAI : You will have to bear with potholes on 300 roads across Mumbai for a few more months — despite the October 17 deadline the civic chief set for his administration.

MUMBAI : You will have to bear with potholes on 300 roads across Mumbai for a few more months — despite the October 17 deadline the civic chief set for his administration.

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These potholes, civic officials said, will not to be filled anytime soon, as the roads are due for reconstruction.

“Pothole filling work was taken up on a war-footing and most of them were filled. Only potholes on 300 roads were not done as they will be reconstructed. It will only be duplication of work if we fill them now and then reconstruct the road later,” said a senior civic official, not wishing to be named.

ON Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began reconstructing 100 roads. Sources said the next 100 will be taken up from October 19, and the remaining by the end of this month.

With the deadline ending, Mehta inspected roads in the western suburbs and also the 100 new road works that began on Monday.

While the BMC maintains good progress was being made, corporators rubbished these claims, especially because the administration has missed several deadlines — six deadlines were issued in the past two months, one even by the chief minister.

“Even after the deadlines, the condition of the roads is pitiable. The commissioner should resign immediately,” said Sanjay Nirupam, Mumbai’s Congress chief.

Repeated complaints from citizens, corporators and civic officers over contractors not filling potholes had Mehta ask all deputy municipal commissioners (DMCs) to act against those not filling potholes on roads that fall under the defect liability period (DLP). The civic chief also asked the DMCs to oversee and review repairs and reconstruction of the 300 road works set to begin this month.