'Faulty work, poor drainage to be blamed'

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unable to tackle the pothole menace, experts are now questioning the method used by the civic body to repair roads.

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unable to tackle the pothole menace, experts are now questioning the method used by the civic body to repair roads.

HT Image

Architects and structural engineers told Hindustan Times that faulty workmanship was responsible for the bad state of roads.

Experts claimed that most potholes were filled without any surface preparation, which is without cleaning or making proper base. “The authorities don’t have to wait for a long dry spell during monsoon. Basic methods like drying the pothole with suction or industrial air blowers can be used. The filled area should then be barricaded for some time,” said Jagdeep Desai, an architect, adding that this method is used in the US and Europe.

Also to be blamed is the poor drainage system. “Primarily, most of our roads are built wrongly,” said Abhay Godbole, structural engineer, MTech from IIT Bombay. “The roads should be elevated in the centre with slopes on the sides so that the water can flow out. If water remains stagnant on an asphalt road, the asphalt will get displaced, crating space for potholes.”

Umesh Dhargalkar, another structural consultant, said, “After filling the pothole, the contractor should ensure that it is smoothened and there are no gaps left for the water to seep in.”