MID-DAY IMPACT: Aarey’s newly built roads crack within months, PWD rushes to fix damage

Rectification work has already begun at multiple spots that require repairs, according to officials. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Taking serious note of a mid-day report, the public works department (PWD) has identified several locations on internal roads in Aarey Milk Colony where newly constructed cement concrete (CC) roads have developed cracks or where the upper layer has started coming off. Rectification work has already begun. PWD officials confirmed they have identified multiple spots that require repairs.

A PWD official said, "We have already started rectification work on the newly made CC road where cracks have appeared on the upper surface. We have identified problem patches, and since the road is still under the defect liability period (DLP), the contractor will complete the repairs at the earliest." Locals also confirmed that repair work has begun near the Aarey Market junction, where the PWD-built CC road had developed cracks and an uneven surface.

PWD sources further revealed that samples of the CC road will be collected and sent to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to verify whether the contractor adhered to all required standards. On March 25, mid-day highlighted how not only CC roads built by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation but also those constructed by the PWD less than six months ago were already developing cracks.

Spread over 16 sq km, the colony is home to more than 60,000 residents, including 27 tribal hamlets, slum pockets, cattle farms and the Royal Palms area. In March 2024, news reports revealed that the Bombay High Court had directed the agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy development, and fisheries departments to expedite the repair of 45 km of internal roads in Aarey Milk Colony.