Potholes on Goregaon flyover fixed, contractor told to redo surface

mid-day impact: Following widespread outrage after this paper's report, BMC swings into action, promises long-term fix after monsoon

Shamed by mid-day for shoddy work on Veer Savarkar flyover at Goregaon, civic officials have said the bridge will be resurfaced completely after monsoon. Within five days of the flyover being opened for traffic, motorists had noticed uneven patches and potholes on the stretch, raising questions over the quality of materials used.

Apart from commuters, Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor had taken to social media to slam the BMC for its poor work on the flyover and demanded an answer to why such things happen repeatedly.

After reading mid-day's report, Kapoor had tweeted, "The sad part is I'm not even surprised reading this headline. I shudder to think how much of the tax payers money must have been put into making this flyover & yet there is someone somewhere who should be held accountable in public but isn't... (sic)"

BMC has temporarily resurfaced the uneven patches on Veer Savarkar flyover. Pic/Satej Shinde

The BMC took about three years to complete work on the 460-metre stretch. Sources said it failed to finish the work three weeks before monsoon, and because that much time is needed for the asphalt to settle, issues had cropped up.

Haste makes waste
The bridge was thrown open for traffic last Friday to make east-west connectivity better for citizens and curb traffic snarls at MTNL junction. But since its inauguration, the BMC has been facing nothing but flak for it.

At first, motorists pointed out the flawed design - a three-lane stretch without demarcation or dividers, increasing the risk of accidents - and later, the pits surfaced. A senior official from bridges department said, "Work on the bridge was completed just eight days before monsoon, and asphalt needs to be given at least three weeks to settle. Hence, we are seeing this problem."

A makeshift job
"I had asked my sub-engineer to fix the issues on the flyover; he reported to me that it's done. However, if there are any other complaints, we will address those," said Subhash Bansode, executive engineer.

However, Dhaval Shah from Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association said, "The potholes are still there; BMC hasn't done any work. The entire stretch needs to be resurfaced, as the material used in construction is of poor quality."

Bridges department in-charge Sanjay Darade said, "As an immediate respite, I have instructed officials concerned to fix the potholes and take necessary measures. After monsoon, resurfacing of the flyover will be done by the contractor under the Defect Liability Period."

Also Read: Mumbai: Goregaon's newly opened flyover graced by potholes in just five days

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