BMC corporators allege poor quality of cold mix material used to fill potholes

Despite repairs, potholes are back at Elphinstone

Nearly 300 tons of cold mix material has been used for filling potholes across the city, and yet, the menace is far from being under control. Data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also states that R84 lakh has been spent on the work so far.

Even as the civic body has drawn flak from citizens and politicians over the pathetic condition of roads across the city, corporators from the BMC have alleged that the material used for filling potholes has been of a poor quality and, hence, completely ineffective with pits reappearing in the same spots. They have also said that the BMC should have used hot mix material instead.

Corporators have alleged that despite the repair work, potholes in a number of locations have reappeared

Civic body justifies
The BMC, however, has rubbished all allegations, saying cold mix is the right material, and that the real problem is proper procedure for its usage has not being followed. Changing its methodology, it has now instructed ward officers to use cold mix only in the bags provided and not carry it in bulk in trucks.

A senior civic official said, "We have instructed ward officers to use cold mix material only when the depth of a pothole is 25 mm, or as per manufacturer's suggestions. Hot mix will be used only after instructions from the executive engineer; during rains, cold mix will be given preference."

Taking stock
Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta had visited a few spots on Friday to check the progress of the pothole-filling work. BMC had then claimed that most had been repaired with only a few left.

On Saturday, Standing Committee members had visited Worli's asphalt plant to see how cold mix is made. The Standing Committee chairman has directed that IIT-B be roped in for carrying out a third-party audit of the material.

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