BMC REDIRECTS ITSELF TO RESOLVE POTHOLES ISSUE BY DIWALI AFTER DIRECTED BY HC

Mumbai, 25 th October, 2016 (GPN) : A safe road reality is possible in the City this Diwali with the directions from the Bombay High Court and the combined effort from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM).

Today, the HC directed the state civic body to fill all the potholes and repair all the roads in the city before October 31.

The bench directed the MCGM, the Public Works Development (PWD) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to repair all roads, freeways, highways etc. in their respective jurisdictions.

Appearing for MCGM, senior counsel Anil Sakhre assured the bench that the civic body would make the city ‘pothole-free’ by October 31. MCGM had already roped in contractors for the same, he informed.
“We expect to repair all potholes by Diwali. The work is going on in full speed owing to the dry spell,” BMC senior counsel Anil Sakhare told the court today.

A division bench of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice MS Karnik were hearing a number of petitions concerning the bad state of roads in Mumbai. Sakhare explained that it was only owing to the late ceasing of the monsoon till October 9 the official repairing of the roads got delayed and now work is ongoing in full swing.

On terms of the ongoing work, the court questioned what material was being used presently.

“We are using material from our plant while the contractors use their own material,” said Sakhare. The bench in its turn asked BMC to use “good material” for repair of potholes and seek the help of experts like IIT, Central Road Research Congress, etc. It further asked if the corporation was evolving any new method.

“The process is on. When it materialises we will tell court. This is likely to happen by February-March,” Sakhare said.

The court suggested that the repair work should be done before the next monsoon.

Sakhare further added that, “heavy traffic movement adds difficulty to undertake repair work in proper manner and that the authorities do not permit to concretise those roads which decades ago used to be cemented road owing to heavy usage and traffic movement on such roads”.

Sakhare explained that with concretisation the roads cannot be dug up for utilities, and it will also ensure that the road can be used without having to be repaired for almost 15 years.

“However since concretisation needs to be done in patches and can take a few weeks before an entire road can be made, traffic department does not give them the time span for stopping traffic on a particular stretch for concretisation,” he said.

“Justify your proposal. We will examine it. Find out alternative ways. The stand can’t be to have bad roads,” said Justice Kemkar. “Gather information from other states where there is heavy rains and on material used by them,” added the court. It has further directed all parties to file a response in the matter.
The court had earlier asked for a committee to be formed to look into this issue. The committee has not held a meeting till date. “The earlier orders of the court should be complied with and a meeting within two weeks to take appropriate decisions,” said the High Court.

About the Author

Sachin Murdeshwar
Sachin Murdeshwar is a Sr.Journalist and Columnist in several Mainline Newspapers and Portals.He is an ardent traveller and likes to explore destinations to the core.