BMC wants to shift cables, pipelines for better roads

The municipal corporation is exploring all solutions to plug the pothole problem.

The municipal corporation is exploring all solutions to plug the pothole problem.

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It is planning to shift various utility cables or pipelines either side of the road, so that they would not need to dug up the road again and again, causing road damage and potholes.

Apart from rainwater, bad quality of the material, digging roads by various 37 utility service providers such as telecom companies, gas agency power companies and also civic department's storm water drains, water departments dug up roads is one of the main reasons for pothole.

"I will schedule a meeting with all utility service providers in this regard and start the process of shift their cables to the duct. Whenever they need to have repair or lay new lines they can just open the duct and repair it without disrupting traffic and digging the road," said Aseem Gupta Additional Municipal Commissioner (roads).

"If possible, we will start duct system and shift the utilities wherever it is affordable for the BMC and also utilities service providers. Frequent digging and again resurface of the roads could not match the whole stretch of the road and caused pothole," added Gupta.

"The quality of asphalt material to fill up pothole is not standardised, however people have to suffer," he alleged. He has also demanded that civic body should inquire into the matter.

Aseem Gupta said: "We will post engineers at the eleven asphalt missing plants across the city to keep a check on the material used and also vigilance department can check the quality of the material on the spot."

"Because of the additional Rs 20 crore budgetary provisions, there should not be any problem except few dry spells to fill the pothole," he added.