Mumbai: BMC yet to help school get rid of dangerous potholed stretch

Geeta Manodra and her daughters, who study at Pawar Public School, try to dodge the potholes

For students of Pawar Public School in Chandivli, going to school involves conquering an obstacle course that is full of potholes. School authorities, parents and locals have all appealed to the BMC, asking them to fix this treacherous road that has now become a safety hazard, but their pleas seem to have gone unheard.

The school is connected with the main road only through this stretch. It passes through the Sangharsha Nagar, which has slums as well as SRA buildings, but not a properly built road. The entire street is full of uneven, narrow lanes and giant potholes.

BMC won't listen
While the school administration has been continuously following up with the civic body to get the work done, several parents have also swung into action through a signature campaign. They've gathered over 500 signatures and forwarded the letter pressing on the need for better roads to BMC, but the civic body has done nothing yet. mid-day reached out to Ajitkumar Ambi, BMC's L-ward officer, repeatedly, but he remained unavailable for comment.

Pawar Public School in Chandivli. Pics/Sameer Markande

Geeta Manodra, mother to two daughters who study at the school told mid-day, "No autorickshaw comes to this side considering the pathetic road conditions. On most days, we have to walk through this stretch." Sarabjit Mukherjee, administrator of the school, said, "Even our staff faces the same issues as the students with autorickshaws not agreeing to come to this side. This worsens in the monsoon. We have been trying to get this road repaired for seven years."

"There is no good stretch on this road. These lanes become chaotic every time the schools starts and shuts," said Herald Saldanha, another parent, who has been actively trying to solve the issue adding, "The school and the locals, have been trying to resolve this issue for a long time, but nothing has come of it yet." Saldanha said the school has also taken out protests in the past in a bid to repair the road.

About children's safety
Ayub Ansari, one of the school bus drivers said, "The condition of the road is really bad and we have to take extra care driving through here. There is a steep road downhill, demanding even more cautious driving." Ginith Divakaran, the bus contractor, whose 19 buses run for the school, said, "Parents and the school have been constantly demanding repairs of this one road. After all, this is about children's safety. However, there has been no relief yet."

7
No. of years the school has been asking BMC to repair the road

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