Now, travelling on the two major expressways connecting South Mumbai to the suburbs will soon be free of potholes. The Eastern Express Highway (EEH), which extends to Bhandup in the east, and the Western Express Highway (WEH), which goes up to Dahisar in the west, are currently riddled with potholes.
After facing severe criticism due to the potholes on these highways during the monsoon season, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now planned a ₹130 crore project to repair the damaged roads on both expressways.
Tenders for this project were issued on Monday afternoon, just hours before the code of conduct came into effect following the State Election Commission's announcement of BMC elections on January 15.
Road Repair through Micro-surfacing
Under this project, the BMC will be undertaking "micro-surfacing" on both expressways. This includes:
Milling of worn-out road sections
In addition:
The project also includes road maintenance during the 2026 monsoon season. Road repairs will be carried out as needed for the next five years.
The milling process involves scraping off bumps and rough patches on the road surface, providing temporary relief until resurfacing is done.
Defect Liability Period Ended
According to the municipal corporation, the defect liability period, during which the contractor was responsible for road maintenance, ended in 2023. It was in the same year that the MMRDA handed over these highways to the BMC. Since then, the BMC has been maintaining these roads itself. Every year, maintenance tenders are issued for small stretches of roads. Similar tenders were issued last year as well. The BMC has clarified that tenders will be issued for different stretches next year too.
Which areas will be covered?
A senior BMC official told mid-day, “Considering the length and width of both highways, it is not possible to resurface the entire roads in a single phase. Therefore, tenders have to be issued in phases.”
Under these tenders:
Eastern Express Highway — a 7.9 km stretch between Amar Mahal and Chunabhatti
Western Express Highway — a 7.5 km stretch between Goregaon and Magathane bridge in Borivali
Importance of the work
During the monsoon, the BMC used mastic asphalt to fill potholes. This asphalt is prone to swelling after drying, creating bumps on the road. These bumps become problematic after the monsoon season.
Why it is important?
1. Eastern Express Highway:
A crucial 23 km long route connects Sion to Thane and further to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It connects eastern suburbs like Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, Mulund, and Bhandup.
2. Western Express Highway:
A 25 km long route between Mahim and Dahisar. It is a vital north-south connector for western suburbs like Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Borivali, Kandivali, and Malad.
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