Mumbai: BMC steps up pothole watch, ups fines

The BMC, acting on a report from its vigilance department, got five contractors to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh each for doing shoddy road repair work ahead of this year’s monsoon.

The BMC, acting on a report from its vigilance department, got five contractors to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh each for doing shoddy road repair work ahead of this year’s monsoon.

However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to fine the contractors named for such shoddy work in a third-party audit that was conducted in 2014.

On July 14 last year, more than 2,000 potholes had been reported, compared to this year’s 1,800.

But, even after the thirdparty audit, the BMC is still calculating how much fine the contractors must pay.

Ashok Pawar, chief engineer, roads and traffic, confir med th i s, bu t said the department will decide only by the end of this month.

The action against contractors was t aken by additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas, who acted on the vigilance department’s report.

Sources said civic chief Ajoy Mehta has also asked the vigilance department to check the materials used and the quality of work across the city’s 24 wards.

The further course of action against contractors will be decided after that, civic officials said.

“The BMC chief has ordered for more frequent checks on the material used for repairing potholes, and another inquiry is in progress in all 24 wards,” said a civic official, on the condition of anonymity.

"There were many potholes reported after the continuous spell of rain last month. After the vigilance department’s report, it became clear that the materials that were used were not up to the mark. We have also increased the fine amount, from last year’s Rs 20,000 to Rs 5 lakh this year,” Srinivas said.