The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated nearly Rs 154 crore for pothole repairs this monsoon season. The funds will be used to address roads that are still covered with asphalt or paver blocks, as part of the city’s ongoing efforts to maintain road safety during the heavy rains. Over the past two years, large-scale road concretisation works have been underway in Mumbai, with the goal of making roads more durable and reducing the recurrence of potholes.
BMC officials have defended the budget allocation, pointing out that this year’s allocation is considerably lower than the Rs 205 crore set aside for repairs last year. However, civic activists like Godfrey Pimenta, an advocate and road safety campaigner, have raised concerns over the recurring need for pothole repairs, highlighting the inefficiencies within the system. “While immediate repairs are necessary for road safety during the monsoon, the continuous cycle of temporary fixes points to a lack of long-term infrastructure solutions,” said Pimenta.
Civic officials, however, emphasised that the allocation is essential as several roads are still under the defect liability period (DLP). Under this period, contractors are responsible for maintaining roads, which adds to the cost of maintenance.
Despite the BMC’s efforts to concretise roads, many residents have questioned the logic behind such large pothole repair budgets, wondering if road conditions should have improved by now. “If road improvements were effectively addressing the issue, why does the BMC need to allocate such a large sum for pothole repairs each year?” one local resident remarked.
As Mumbai braces for another monsoon, the debate over temporary fixes versus permanent infrastructure solutions continues, with many hoping the city’s ongoing road developments will eventually reduce the need for repeated repairs.
Source:Times of India
