Annual pothole-filling exercise begins

Potholes on Chandivli roads

The annual pothole-filling process of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun. The civic body is acting on about 100 crater-related complaints registered on various platforms. But residents claim that with heavy rains lashing the city, there are many more potholes and bad patches. The BMC has made a provision of 1,500 metric tonnes of cold mix, 1300 metric tonnes of which have been distributed in each ward. The rest has been kept in reserve. The material will be used by ward offices to fill potholes on roads with a width of six metres or less.

The civic body has awarded contracts worth Rs 300 crore to fill potholes on main roads with reactive asphalt, a new material, and rapid-hardening concrete. It had also invited contracts worth R400 for urgent pre-monsoon work.

The BMC received 93 complaints till Friday afternoon through helpline numbers including the WhatsApp ones of the executive engineers of 24 wards. Most complaints, 10, were received from Malad. The civic body claimed that 45 cases are closed. But activists said there are many more potholes already on roads. "The condition of DP Road No. 9 in Powai, which connects Chandivli Farm Road and JVLR, has been bad for the past several months but it is especially miserable after the arrival of the rain. We have been constantly following up with the BMC but our requests fall on deaf ears," said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder-member, Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association.

Nikhil Desai, a Matunga-based activist, said, "There are lots of potholes in our area. Why does the BMC wait to register citizens' complaints? I will start complaining after the rain stops; otherwise, I will get the standard answer, ‘Let there be a dry patch'."

Khar subway

Reactive asphalt experiment

After experimenting with various techniques and materials last year, the BMC has started experimenting with reactive asphalt to fill up potholes for the first time. "Reactive asphalt is being used so that vehicular traffic is uninterrupted. A pilot project has been implemented at three places using a mixture of reactive asphalt. The mixture has been provided to every ward," said P Velrasu, additional commissioner of the BMC. On Thursday, pothole-filling work was undertaken at the Khar subway.

"Potholes are formed on asphalt roads due to contact with water, but potholes are filled only by adding water to the reactive asphalt mixture. A combination of chemical powder, gravel and water is used to fill potholes. Vehicular movement can take place in just two hours after filling potholes with reactive asphalt," said a civic official.

The technology has been provided by the company Ecogreen Infra Development. The chemical powder has been imported. No complaints concerning road gravel removal or re-potting were noticed, claimed BMC officials.

Rapid hardening concrete

This technology was used by the municipal corporation during last year's monsoon. Rapid hardening concrete will be distributed via nine service providers. A dry surface is required for the use of this technology and the stretch in question can be opened to traffic six hours after its application.

10
No. of pothole complaints received from Malad