Monsoons are tough times for Mumbai commuters due to potholed roads.
The mayor of Mumbai on Sunday led officials from the municipal body to one the busiest parts of city. The mission? To inspect how they had fared on the deadline served last week to fill up all the potholes in Mumbai.
On Wednesday, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta had given his team the 48-hour deadline amid calls from several quarters to address the problem which becomes a nightmare every monsoon.
The Opposition Congress has even threatened to host a
pothole exhibition in the city slamming the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena coalition.
Taking to the Bandra Kurla complex which houses several corporate offices for her inspection, Mayor Snehal Ambekar said, "I have come out on a holiday to inspect the potholes issue troubling our citizens and we are inspecting some of these chronic spots."
"I have personally made sure none of the blacklisted contractors get any more contracts," she said on being asked about allegations of bad materials being used for road repairs by contractors.
Out on inspection, officials claimed they had fared well. Of 482 potholes counted in the city till July 9, 416 had been attended.
Locals however remain largely sceptical of the civic authority's intentions. "The traffic during monsoons is a nightmare, thanks to the gaping potholes. It takes hours to cross a small stretch and the taxi moves likes it's in a disco. Their repair work is pointless as these huge concrete slabs chip off as soon as it rains hard," complained a taxi-driver.
Responding to the charge, Yeshodhar Phanse, a BMC official said, "Earlier MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) and PWD (Public Works Department), had given contracts for road repairs to contractors who cannot be tracked down now. We are looking into those issues as well."