Post those reports, the BMC chief Ajoy Mehta has sent a stern message to the cops in return, instructing that the BMC will no longer tend to that spot
Mind your own business, said the BMC to the Antop Hill police, a front-page report in this paper cited. A couple of weeks ago, there were reports that the Antop Hill police was fed up of potholes and had filled craters near their beat chowkie No. 1.
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Post those reports, the BMC chief Ajoy Mehta has sent a stern message to the cops in return, instructing that the BMC will no longer tend to that spot. Mehta instructed ward officials that they were not to touch that particular spot and let the cops maintain it themselves. The civic officials claim there were no potholes on the stretch, that it was an undulation which the cops fixed with substandard material. Meanwhile, the traffic cops say the potholes there caused at least two accidents.
This spat needs to be over quickly. The police say that they have been misunderstood and they did not fill the potholes for publicity but out of genuine concern for citizens. They have clarified that the pictures used by the media to report the incident were inaccurate, and they had never even clicked pictures while filling the craters.
Whatever version is true, both parties now need to shake hands and get down to the entirely serious business that is Mumbai city. If, as the civic officials claim, the repairs were done with substandard material, it should be redone quickly and properly. The top cop of the beat chowkie needs to reassure the civic chiefs that there was no intention to embarrass anybody.
The city has suffered enough because of ego tussles between agencies, or departments passing the buck to each other. We want to see unity and coordination amongst those who run this city because that makes governance much more efficacious. Let us talk in one voice and let us work as one.
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