Mumbai: Potholes emerge on roads; BMC receives 146 complaints

Immediately after eight to ten days of the rains in Mumbai, potholes started appearing and complaints of potholes started coming. In the last 10 days, 146 complaints have been received by various agencies of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Out of them 83 potholes have been filled. It has been observed that most of the complaints are from Malad and Borivali.

Every year during the rainy season, the roads in Mumbai get potholes and due to this, the municipal corporation has to face a lot of criticism. This year, the Road Department has undertaken works worth INR 6,000 crore to make the roads in Mumbai pothole-free. But it will take two years to complete these works. Therefore, the municipal administration has given many different contracts for filling the potholes and rough patches on the roads. Therefore, this year many contractors have been appointed for the work of filling potholes and various technologies are being used. Last year, the cold mix contract was given for two years to fill the potholes. While it is applicable this year too, more new contracts have been awarded.

It is expected that the potholes in the road works will be filled by the respective contractors. Two new technologies, reactive asphalt and rapid hardening concrete, will be used to fill potholes. However, as part of the pre-monsoon works, rough patches on asphalt roads, as well as rough patches on roads not covered by the warranty period, have been filled with mastic asphalt. This year, the BMC has spent more than INR 150 crore to fill potholes. INR 100 crores have been spent to cover the rough belt before monsoon. Therefore, everyone's attention has been paid to the number of potholes on the roads this year. Also this year, the Municipal Corporation has provided various systems for pothole complaints and has given a complaint number for each ward. 146 complaints have been received in all these places.

Cold mix will be used through the maintenance department of the Municipal Corporation to fill the potholes on the roads of six metres and less width in Mumbai. So far, 1300 metric tons of cold mix has been supplied to fill potholes in all sections of Mumbai. 200 metric tons of cold mix has been kept in reserve.