File FIRs against errant contractors: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena, which controls the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has urged the municipal commissioner to initiate strict action against errant contractors for failing to maintain quality of roads, including filing of criminal cases.

Mumbai's civic body is facing a lot of criticism because of pothole-filled roads during the current rainy season. Sena corporator and Standing Committee Chairman, Rahul Shewale, has written a letter to commissioner Subodh Kumar in this regard.

"Mumbaikars are facing a lot of problems due to potholes. It is the duty of the contractors to ensure that the city is pothole-free.

Since they have failed to maintain the quality of roads, strict action must be taken," the letter says. Shewale has claimed that BMC has repaired 1,200 stretches of roads this year. He has proposed that errant contractors be made to forfeit their deposits and an FIR be filed against them. "Earlier, the BMC only penalised and blacklisted errant contractors, but it was of no use.

So to ensure they learn a lesson, an FIR must be filed against them," Shewale has said. BMC makes a budgetary provision of Rs 40 crore for filling up potholes. This year, it has spent Rs 26 crore so far. Civic officials said that due to the continuous rain, the condition of roads had worsened this year and the repair work cannot be done when it is raining. "But we are hopeful of filling up the potholes during the dry spell," an official said.