June 10, 2025: With the onset of the monsoon and potholes reappearing across Mumbai’s roads, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has instructed secondary engineers in all 227 civic wards to intensify road inspections and prioritise pothole repairs.
Despite an ongoing citywide concretisation project launched in 2022 to make Mumbai’s roads ‘pothole-free’, monsoon-related road damage remains a recurring issue. The civic body has allocated Rs 154 crore this year specifically for pothole repair works. Officials stated that while the number of potholes has gradually declined over the past three years, contractors have been engaged for roads still awaiting concretisation.
On Monday, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), Abhijit Bangar, announced that secondary engineers have been assigned to monitor around 10–15 kilometres of road in each ward. During a review meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Bangar instructed officials that engineers should travel by motorbike and conduct road inspections at least every two days. They have been directed to proactively identify and repair potholes before they deteriorate further.
To maintain road quality, potholes must be filled when they reach a depth of 6–12 inches. Bangar further directed that mastic asphalt, not cold mix, should be used for filling, to ensure more durable repairs. “It must be ensured that mastic cookers are in proper working condition and readily available. Timely production and availability of mastic asphalt should be prioritised,” he said.
To enhance transparency and accountability, contractors have been instructed to equip mastic cooker vehicles with GPS and vehicle tracking systems.
The move is part of the BMC’s larger effort to mitigate monsoon-related road damage and improve response times for repairs, ensuring safer commuting conditions for the city’s residents.
Source: The Economic Times
