Pothole challenge: BMC has to shell out Rs 42,500 as reward

A pothole in Bandra fixed after a complaint on the Fixit app

While citizens have flooded BMC with photos of potholes, the ball is now in the civic body's court with complainants, whose grievances were not addressed within 24 hours, waiting for the promised reward of Rs 500.

Official records show that BMC officials took the challenge seriously from November 4 to November 8 and filled all potholes within the stipulated24 hours, but once the challenge ended, BMC officials fixed barely 50 per cent of the potholes.

The BMC had taken up a challenge to fill the potholes within 24 hours of reporting from November 1-7 and had announced a cash prize of Rs 500 to complainants if the pothole was not filled within a stipulated time.

The BMC claims to have fixed all 1,630 potholes reported on its Fixit app in the seven days of the challenge. However, of the 879 complaints raised on the first three days, the civic officials attended to only 794 within 24 hours. Now, it has to shell out Rs 42,500 for the 85 potholes not fixed in time.

Three days have passed since the challenge ended, but the BMC has not yet spoken about the reward. Sanjay Darade, chief of the roads department, told in the Standing Committee meeting last week that they were reviewing the pothole complaints, but didn't say anything about the cash prize.

mid-day had earlier reported that the BMC had not figured out the modalities of the fine. The BMC top brass had initially said engineers responsible for the cratered roads would pay the cash prize, but the engineers association had refused to take the blame.

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