Mumbai potholes, roads to be fixed before Ganesh Chaturthi, says BMC

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Mumbai potholes and roads will be fixed before Ganesh Chaturthi, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Thursday.

In an official statement, the BMC said that ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, Mumbai's additional municipal commissioner (projects), Abhijeet Bangar, has directed a swift, comprehensive repair of all city roads. His order aims to ensure that residents and drivers face no road-related issues during the Ganeshotsav 2024.

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Bangar highlighted that all roads must be free of potholes before Ganesh Chaturthi.

"To achieve the goal to make Mumbai roads pothole free, repair work will be carried out intensively over the next ten days," the official statement said.

Bangar instructed that repairs be done using the ‘mastic' method, which has proven effective in past road repairs, it said.

Meanwhile, the BMC Commissioner and Administrator, Bhushan Gagrani has issued clear instructions to address potholes urgently and repair bad patches of roads before the Ganesh immersion ceremonies in Mumbai.

A high-level meeting was held at the BMC headquarters on Thursday which was attended by the top officials of the civic body including Chief Engineer (Roads) Girish Nikam and other engineers and officials.

Ganesh festival celebrations are held with great enthusiasm across Mumbai.

"To prevent any inconvenience to citizens during the festivities, the municipal administration is taking proactive measures," the BMC said.

The statement said that for the purpose, the BMC has appointed 227 junior engineers, one for each municipal ward, to inspect roads daily and immediately repair any potholes using the mastic method. In addition to these junior engineers, assistant engineers, executive engineers, and deputy chief engineers are also required to be actively involved in field inspections.

"Despite the planned repairs, there is concern that heavy rains before the Ganesh immersion might damage the repaired roads. Therefore, all teams are urged to be extra vigilant," an official said.

The BMC said that the mastic method has shown positive results, so repairs will continue with this approach. Departments are required to ensure that mastic cookers are in good working condition and available for use. Contractors have been instructed to monitor and ensure a steady supply of mastic. In case of high demand, arrangements should be made to meet supply needs promptly.

Bangar also highlighted that the need for coordination and planning among various departments to ensure the smooth completion of pothole repairs, the BMC statement read.