Decision-maker:
Mr. Iqbal Chahal, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner
The BMC needs to show greater transparency with their public road works. We are demanding that the BMC:
BMC should undertake timely audits for quality checks and supervise road infrastructure projects include road concretisation
Ensure all roads under the current concretisation plan have footpaths that are pedestrian-friendly
Put the timeline for road concretisation completion in the public domain
Create regular reports for road concretisation work ongoing or completed since February 2023 and make them available to the public
What is the issue?
Mumbai’s pothole menace is not a new problem. Over the last three years, aamchi Mumbai has reported 1041 lives lost in fatal accidents many of these accidents have been attributed to the potholes all across the city!
In July 2015, Dadarao Bilhore's son, Prakash, lost his life in a tragic accident caused by a pothole while on a bike. Despite his grief, Bilhore took it upon himself to prevent similar tragedies from befalling others, single-handedly filling hundreds of potholes in Mumbai to ensure that no one else suffers the same fate as his son. Safe roads are every citizen’s right.
While Bilhore's initiative has undoubtedly saved lives and he has rightfully earned his title of “Pothole Dada”, it underscores the fundamental duty of the government to provide safe infrastructure for its citizens.
On March 11, the Mumbai High Court stated that it is the responsibility of the BMC to ensure that citizens get motorable roads and pedestrian-friendly footpaths [1]. In response, the BMC claimed it had already spent Rs. 273 Crore on concretisation of roads last monsoon. The BMC also claimed that almost 60% of the city’s roads (1,224 km of the city’s 2,050 km of roads) have been concretised, and work on another 356 km of roads is in progress.
However, the High Court pointed out that the overall condition of roads in Mumbai continues to be poor, especially given the massive spends incurred.
The BMC's reliance on third-party auditors for quality supervision of road projects has become a recurring issue, as highlighted by recent reports [2] [3]. Despite past failures and criticisms of these auditors' effectiveness, the BMC persists in hiring them, citing the unavailability of its own engineers for project supervision. Recent revelations from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's report underscore this concern, revealing that out of 52 road works audited, only one had a road design consultant appointed. While third-party audits may have a role to play, it is crucial that BMC engineers actively supervise projects to prevent lapses and ensure public funds are used effectively.
[1] BMCs responsibility to ensure motorable roads in Mumbai: HC on accidents due to potholes
[2] City roads will be quality checked by third-party auditors
[3] BMC carried out road works sans survey, soil investigation
[4] https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/RA_2022_30_Oct.pdf
[6] https://data.opencity.in/dataset/mumbai-traffic-and-road-safety-reports
[7] https://highwaypolice.maharashtra.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mh-highwaytraffic-book-2021.pdf
P.S. You can also make a contribution of your choice to support our work. Any amount, no matter how small, goes a long way in keeping up our efforts for an equitable and safe Mumbai. Support now.
Decision-maker:
Mr. Iqbal Chahal, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner
The BMC needs to show greater transparency with their public road works. We are demanding that the BMC:
BMC should undertake timely audits for quality checks and supervise road infrastructure projects include road concretisation
Ensure all roads under the current concretisation plan have footpaths that are pedestrian-friendly
Put the timeline for road concretisation completion in the public domain
Create regular reports for road concretisation work ongoing or completed since February 2023 and make them available to the public
What is the issue?
Mumbai’s pothole menace is not a new problem. Over the last three years, aamchi Mumbai has reported 1041 lives lost in fatal accidents many of these accidents have been attributed to the potholes all across the city!
In July 2015, Dadarao Bilhore's son, Prakash, lost his life in a tragic accident caused by a pothole while on a bike. Despite his grief, Bilhore took it upon himself to prevent similar tragedies from befalling others, single-handedly filling hundreds of potholes in Mumbai to ensure that no one else suffers the same fate as his son. Safe roads are every citizen’s right.
While Bilhore's initiative has undoubtedly saved lives and he has rightfully earned his title of “Pothole Dada”, it underscores the fundamental duty of the government to provide safe infrastructure for its citizens.
On March 11, the Mumbai High Court stated that it is the responsibility of the BMC to ensure that citizens get motorable roads and pedestrian-friendly footpaths [1]. In response, the BMC claimed it had already spent Rs. 273 Crore on concretisation of roads last monsoon. The BMC also claimed that almost 60% of the city’s roads (1,224 km of the city’s 2,050 km of roads) have been concretised, and work on another 356 km of roads is in progress.
However, the High Court pointed out that the overall condition of roads in Mumbai continues to be poor, especially given the massive spends incurred.
The BMC's reliance on third-party auditors for quality supervision of road projects has become a recurring issue, as highlighted by recent reports [2] [3]. Despite past failures and criticisms of these auditors' effectiveness, the BMC persists in hiring them, citing the unavailability of its own engineers for project supervision. Recent revelations from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's report underscore this concern, revealing that out of 52 road works audited, only one had a road design consultant appointed. While third-party audits may have a role to play, it is crucial that BMC engineers actively supervise projects to prevent lapses and ensure public funds are used effectively.
[1] BMCs responsibility to ensure motorable roads in Mumbai: HC on accidents due to potholes
[2] City roads will be quality checked by third-party auditors
[3] BMC carried out road works sans survey, soil investigation
[4] https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/RA_2022_30_Oct.pdf
[6] https://data.opencity.in/dataset/mumbai-traffic-and-road-safety-reports
[7] https://highwaypolice.maharashtra.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mh-highwaytraffic-book-2021.pdf
P.S. You can also make a contribution of your choice to support our work. Any amount, no matter how small, goes a long way in keeping up our efforts for an equitable and safe Mumbai. Support now.