Congress leaders want Kunte sacked for state of city Mumbai roads

The pathetic condition of the city’s roads led to some party legislators demanding sacking of civic chief Sitaram Kunte as he has been ineffectual in handling the pothole and flooding problems in Mumbai.

The pathetic condition of the city’s roads came up for discussion in the state Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Thursday, with some party legislators demanding that civic chief Sitaram Kunte be sacked as he has been ineffectual in handling the pothole and flooding problems in Mumbai.

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Naseem Khan, guardian minister of Mumbai’s suburbs told the legislators that he had directed civic officials to fill potholes immediately.

Congress legislators Krishna Hegde brought the issue up in the CLP meeting saying that the roads get washed away during the monsoon every year, making commuting a hellish experience for Mumbaiites.

“BMC’s road budget is around Rs2,000 crore; it has budget of Rs100 crore just for filling potholes. Despite this, we continue to have pothole-ridden roads. Nearly Rs130 crore is spent on cleaning nullahs, but no work is done,” Hegde said.

Another legislator, Kalidas Kolambkar, supported Hegde’s views.

The city suburban guardian minister Naseem Khan also held a review meeting with BMC officials on the issue of potholed roads and gave standing instructions to the additional municipal commissioners that potholes should be filled in 24 hours and contractors who are not doing so should be suspended.