Set up 'war rooms' now to guarantee pothole free roads next monsoon: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up 'war rooms' to address the perennial problem of potholes, which gets aggravated during the monsoons.

A division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice MS Karnik said: "Don't wait till the monsoons arrive. Take this up on war footing, it is a perennial problem. Plan now for the next monsoon." The bench gave this direction while hearing a suo-moto petition highlighting the problem of potholes plaguing the state.

Advocate Jamshed Mistry, appointed as amicus curie to assist the court, said: "Potholes are a recurring problem and people are losing their lives due to it. Despite so many court hearings and orders addressing the topic, the problem of potholes keeps resurfacing."

The bench added: "Why are the citizen representatives not taking this issue up as a top priority?" The agencies cannot just pass the blame on each other, saying different roads are manned by different agencies.

The bench suggested the state government to constitute a single agency to address the problem of potholes.

The bench has also directed the corporation to put up signages like those that are put up near open manholes, so that motorist are aware of the potholes and can ride slowly.

Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare, appearing for the corporation, said: "Different utility agencies dig up the roads and don't cover them up properly, leaving behind potholes."

Earlier, the corporation had filed a report indicating that from June 10 to July 30, of all the complaints it received, 91.17 per cent were related to potholes.

The court said: "It is the fundamental right of citizens to have pothole free roads and encroachment free footpaths/pathways. It also placed responsibility on the authorities to ensure protection of citizen's rights. "

The court has now posted the matter for further hearing in January and directed the state and corporation to file a compliance report on the suggestions given by it.

• The Bombay High Court has asked the state government and National Highways authority to start a website and post videos of work completed on the Mumbai-Goa highway. Advocate Owais Pechkar who filed a PIL on this, said: "A clause in the concession agreement mentions that contractors and authorities should make videos of the work done and make it available to the public; that is not being followed. Accordingly, the court directed the authorities to do so and file a status report on the next date of hearing."