Rough final ride ahead

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) races against time to keep its promise of filling all potholes on Ganpati immersion routes, there are some stretches in the city that haven’t been attended to at all. Roads in Sion, Matunga, Antop Hill, Wadala, Jogeshwari, Andheri (Four Bungalows) are still ridden with numerous potholes.

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) races against time to keep its promise of filling all potholes on Ganpati immersion routes, there are some stretches in the city that haven’t been attended to at all. Roads in Sion, Matunga, Antop Hill, Wadala, Jogeshwari, Andheri (Four Bungalows) are still ridden with numerous potholes.

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After several inspections visits undertaken by the Municipal Commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray had time and again said that the civic body would fill up all potholes before the Ganpati immersion day.

Even Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had instructed the civic body to fill up all potholes before the final visarjan day.

According to Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, they had asked the BMC to give priority to major arterial roads, which are used for Ganpati immersion.

“Only yesterday, a mandal complained of potholes on Khadilkar Road in Girgaum. I have forwarded the complaint to the ward officer,” said Dahibawkar.

Meanwhile, an official from the civic body’s road department said that more than 90 per cent work of filling potholes had been completed and the rest will be taken up soon. The official added that work could be expedited due to the dry spell the city witnessed since the last week.

“We have taken up work on these roads on priority and have filled more than 90 per cent of the potholes,” said chief engineer AV Ralkar. The BMC has spent about Rs 60 crore to fill all potholes in the city this year.