Every year, BMC sanctions thousands of crores for the upkeep of roads in Mumbai.
On the back foot following the public outrage over the poor condition of roads in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC on Thursday filled the potholes that sprung up after the first spell of monsoon.
But 24 hours after they were covered, the infamous potholes have reappeared again. On Thursday morning, the BMC workers were seen filling up potholes on Tulsi Pipe Road near Dadar Station. By Friday evening, these potholes were back. The same issue was witnessed at nearby Wadala, where a huge pothole measuring about six feet wide had been repaired. Cars maneuvered around it if they spotted it in time. Or else it was splash and a hard bump for motorists.
Every year, BMC sanctions thousands of crores for the upkeep of roads in Mumbai. But despite this, the infamous potholes are omnipresent in the city, lending much credibility to the charge of corruption against contractors who are engaged in road upkeep.
It is perhaps this daunting task that made Mumbaikars stand by RJ Malishka who took on the BMC in a parody video. "If someone shows us our flaws then we should get inspired by that to work on them rather than reacting on it," an angry commuter told NDTV.
Several motorists complained about the shoddy work on these roads and complained that the BMC officials were not taking enough efforts to keep a check on such incidents. They also accused the officials of colluding with contractors to ensure that they get away.
However, it will be wrong to claim that the BMC officials have not made an effort to keep the contractors in check. In March this year, seven contractors were blacklisted by the BMC for poor quality of work after an inspection of 200 roads on which Rs 1,000 crore had been spent. Last year, two BMC officials were arrested on charges of corruption.
Despite these measures, the pothole menace have been a major challenge for motorists. And for those riding two-wheelers, a pothole not only leads to a back breaking ride but also sometimes a life threatening one.