DNA RAIN CHECK: 253 roads dug up across Mumbai

It has been four days since the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed to comply with its own deadline to complete road works across the city. The roads department was supposed to make all roads motorable by May 31, yet 253 roads remain dug up across the city. The road department officials are claiming they will complete all pending work by June 10. The motorists, however, are already feeling inconvenienced after the first two rains.

The civic body had undertaken a total of 1,619 road works, which includes old and new project roads, priority II and III. DNA accessed the road department's status report of June 4, which reveals that work on 253 roads works is still underway. As per the report, most of the pending road works are in the eastern suburbs (119) followed by the western suburbs (94); the island city has 40 road works pending.

V Kalyankar, Deputy Chief Engineer (Roads), said, "The pending road works are not major and will be completed by June 10. Only re-surfacing or mending stretches near footpaths remain to be completed. We will ensure that all roads are motorable before the monsoons."

DNA visited two such roads in the eastern suburbs.

Dr C Gidwani Road (CG Road) and Ramkrishna Chemburkar Road (RC Road)

CG Road sees heavy traffic. It starts from Jhama sweet junction on RC road and connects to Sion-Panvel Highway and the Eastern Freeway. The Jhama sweet junction is a chronic waterlogging spot and the BMC is carrying out drain and road work there, which is still in progress. Bharat Shinde, a shop owner, said, "There's huge traffic during peak hours everyday. RC Road is also very narrow and all vehicles taking left from Jhama junction create a traffic jam. Every year, there's waterlogging above the knees after the first few showers."

The contractor on the site, said, "This is a chronic waterlogging spot and we have augmented the drain and created a slope on the road so that rain water recedes faster. The work is expected to be completed in three to four days. A de-watering pump has also been installed."

RC Road, which connects Ghatkopar to Mahul, sees heavy traffic of Chembur. Additionally, the monorail pillars have reduced the road to half its size. The stretch in front of Dr Ambedkar Prerna chowk has left lane and footpath work pending. They too have barricades, which have halved the size of the road, forcing auto rickshaws to park inside the barricades.

Ghatkopar 90 ft Road

It is as important road connecting almost all areas of Ghatkopar East. The road, which starts opposite Somaiya College and further connects to AGLR and Eastern Express Highway, sees heavy vehicular traffic. Road work on Ambedkar junction is still underway, but ward officials say, if it begins raining heavily this week, they will ensure the road is at least motorable. Also, a stretch opposite Garodia International Learning Centre is barricaded as road work is going on. There is a diversion on the opposite lane, which creates traffic jam in the peak hours. Naushad Ali, a taxi driver, said, "The 90-feet Road is wide enough and only few spots have traffic jams. But, this stretch has been shut for the past three to four months, which has resulted in congestions, especially for vehicles that are Vidyavihar or station bound."