Agencies break vow, potholes your back

It's the same old story every monsoon. The authorities' claims of being rainready are washed away in the first few showers.

It's the same old story every monsoon. The authorities' claims of being rainready are washed away in the first few showers.

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Even this year, a month before the onset of the rains, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. (MSRDC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) had given assurances that roads and flyovers under their respective jurisdictions were ready and there wouldn't be any pothole during monsoon.

But, Mumbai's two major highways — the Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) — have already developed potholes.

Large craters can be spotted near Chheda Nagar flyover on the EEH. Rajendra Jawanjal, PWD executive engineer, said “There are potholes and bad patches on the EEH as work of laying signaling cables is underway. We will fill the potholes soon.”

The PWD has received an annual grant of about Rs1,500 crore for maintenance of roads under its jurisdiction, said PWD secretary Shyamalkumar Mukharjee.
Potholes have also surfaced on some of the roads under the MMRDA.The stretches near the Indian Oil junction and Navrang Cinema on JP Road, Andheri (West), have become an inconvenience to commuters.

In addition, parts of the Andheri-Kurla Road below the WEH Metro station and RC Marg near Vashi Naka have also developed potholes.
“Most of our roads are already in good condition. But we will ask the contractors who have undertaken various projects on these roads to repair any potholes or uneven stretches immediately,” said Dilip Kawathkar, MMRDA spokesperson.

The work carried out by the MSRDC is no better, with several flyovers, including the ones at Santacruz, BARC, and Andheri, developing huge potholes.
MSRDC said the road couldn't be repaired while it is raining. “We will have to wait for a dry spell,” said SM Ramchandani, MSRDC joint managing director.