August 23, 2025: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stepped in to address Mumbai’s perennial pothole crisis, instructing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accelerate road repairs and ensure smoother travel for citizens ahead of Ganeshotsav.
Senior government officials confirmed that Fadnavis spoke with BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, seeking a detailed update on the condition of the city’s roads. He directed the civic body to act swiftly, with Gagrani ordering that all potholes be repaired, regardless of whether the roads fall under the BMC’s jurisdiction or that of other authorities. “For this year at least, the BMC will fix potholes even on roads not under its control,” the official said.
The Mahayuti government had announced an ambitious initiative in 2022 to make Mumbai pothole-free by concreting its road network. Of the city’s 2,000 kilometres of roads, 1,250 kilometres have since been concreted. Yet each monsoon, potholes reappear, leading to traffic congestion, vehicle damage, and inconvenience for commuters.
In an effort to improve accountability, the BMC launched the Pothole QuickFix mobile application in June, enabling citizens to report potholes directly. The complaints are monitored at the ward level by 227 engineers responsible for daily inspections. In 2024, the civic body used 25,632 metric tonnes of mastic asphalt for repairs and pre-monsoon maintenance. Officials claim that this year the requirement is “comparatively lesser.”
Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha have further assured residents that the city will be “pothole-free” before Ganeshotsav on August 27. Shelar, also the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs, said contractors have been instructed to deploy mastic technology, with every pothole on highways, arterial, and internal roads to be repaired within three days. Lodha confirmed that BMC teams have already begun the work.
Source: Mid- day
