File photo of a potholed road in Mumbai
At a two-hour hearing of a suo-motu PIL on potholes in the Bombay High Court, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) faced heat from the court, lawyers, experts and activists.
The hearing was attended by BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte, Maharashtra's Chief Secretary Jayant K Banthia, the Urban Development Department and the Public Works Department among others.
The BMC's explanation for the 22,000 potholes on Mumbai's roads found no takers. The BMC said unmapped underground utilities, constant digging and heavy rainfall were all responsible for the cratered roads.
But the court had some stinging observations.
The High Court asked the civic body to explain how other cities in the world managed. "They too have monsoons and underground utilities," Chief Justice Mohit Shah said.
He said that one realized one was in Mumbai the moment one saw the condition of the roads. He also asked the various agencies to form a coordination body for accountability.
The court further directed the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation and the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation to submit their responses. It also ordered the municipal corporation to come with a plan to tackle the potholes by September 3.
The Maharashtra government later said that it has authorised the BMC to coordinate with other central and state government agencies and standardise road maintenance procedures. It also suggested that all agencies should hand over road maintenance to BMC to ensure accountability.
All eyes are now on the BMC's roadmap out of the situation. Three lives have been lost in pothole-related accidents this season and Mumbaikars are desperately hoping for some relief from the city's cratered roads.