The BMC said that the delay in repairing of potholes has increased due to the heavy rains in the areas.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which claimed that the delay in repair of potholes has increased due to the heavy rains, seems to be struggling to fix them even when there is no rain in the city.
The civic body, in its statement to the Bombay High Court last month, had said that it was not possible to fill the craters during the continuous downpour, has not been able to repair the 100-plus potholes even during a 10-day dry spell in the month of July.
According to latest numbers presented by the BMC, till July 21, there were 122 potholes across Mumbai which were yet to repaired. While the city was bashed with a heavy downpour in the month of June, the current month has witnessed a scanty rainfall for most of the days ranging from 1mm to 8mm. However, the corporation has not been able to find time and resources to fill the potholes even in these sunny days, adding to the misery of Mumbaikars and their commute.
As per the data — reflected by both IMD and BMC — single digit rain was measured on 10 days, including 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 20 and 22 of July. And on the same days the pothole count across the city remained steadfast, stating that either there was no repair work carried out by the civic body or the numbers reflected were erroneous.
"The number of potholes are cumulative of the ones reported from all over the city. The numbers were generated from complaints raised by citizens on the BMC helpline and app. Once they have been repaired, the ward control informs us of the same and we then compile the report," said deputy municipal commissioner of the general administration department Sudhir Naik.
He added that the contractors are made aware of potholes in respective wards and are instructed to repair them in 48 hours. Naik assured to check the unattended pothole count in the dry spell days, that has poised a serious question on the work of the department.
As per records, there were 27 potholes in city region, 24 in eastern suburbs and 71 in the western region stretches. Political play on potholes continue While the civic administration assured to probe the pothole repair failure in the dry spell days, political parties plotted their play on the issue. Opposition party leader Pravin Chheda castigated the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for deliberately stalling the repair drive of potholes.
"They (SS-BJP) just want to politicize the issue and not do anything constructive. The contractors always say that rains hamper their repair drive and erode away the mixture patch put in the pothole to fill them, Then, why was no work carried out in the 10 days of dry spell, was the administration sleeping?" questioned Chheda.
Echoing similar views, MNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande said: "Under-reporting of potholes, pathetic repair mix and lets not forget the apathy seeded from corruption. All these reasons are evident enough to suggest what is happening on and with the roads of Mumbai."
Meanwhile, refuting all the allegations leveled, Leader of House and Sena corporator Trushna Vishwasrao said it was nothing but a political strategy. "When there are no potholes, it is flooding, when there is no flooding, there are potholes. They (opposition parties) play these issues season to season. And now with the civic elections in sight, these theatrics will continue and will be snow-balled into an agenda against the party," he said.
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