BMC boasts of filling 90% potholes in a day, activists call it drama

Activists from various areas of the city raise questions on shoddy patchwork and dangerous potholes that measure less than a foot, say engineers putting in efforts just to avoid fines

THE Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims to have filled 794 out of the 879 potholes reported on its Fixit app, within 24 hours of them being reported. The civic body launched its pothole challenge on November 1, asking citizens to send pictures of the craters and promising to fill them within 24 hours — failing which, engineers would be made to pay.

There are 85 potholes that have not been filled within 24 hours of being reported. Under the seven-day pothole challenge, the civic body has promised a cash prize of R500 for unresolved complaints. Citizens and activists, however, are sceptical about the shoddy patchwork and have questioned the civic body on potholes that measure less than one feet and uneven roads.

Complaints rising

Since the challenge was launched, the number of complaints has risen. Earlier, the average was around 150. But at the end of four days, 879 complaints of different potholes have been uploaded on the Fixit app. The report of the first four days will be submitted to Additional Commissioner Vijay Singhal and decisions will be taken on the awards.

Residents and activists claim that the filling of the potholes comes loose in just a few days and uneven roads will lead to more accidents. “The St John Baptist Road near Mount Mary in Bandra West is in bad condition. BMC has filled the patches, but the work is substandard and will not last long. The fines to be slapped on engineers is a gimmick to divert attention from BMC’s and its engineers’ failures,” said activist Kamlakar Shenoy.

This is drama

Activist Nikhil Desai, who resides in Matunga, said, “I tweeted about six potholes on six different roads in Wadala area and tagged the BMC. After 24 hours, four potholes were attended to. But the work lacks quality.”

Desai added that engineers were addressing complaints to avoid fines, but the net result will remain zero and that the ‘drama’ will last only for a week. “BMC didn’t fill the one pothole on Jame Jamshed road in Parsi Colony in Dadar, saying it measures less than a foot. But it is still dangerous for two-wheelers,” said Desai.

Another activist, Godfrey Pimenta, said, “I requested the BMC to repair the potholes on Church Road near Amen apartment in Marol. The road is patchy and BMC repaired the stretch seven times between July and September this year.”And yet, the road remained bad, prompting the K-East ward to give a work order to a private contractor to resurface the road.

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