Ahead of monsoon, only 50 per cent of proposed road repair work in Mumbai has begun

Road work at Sainath Nagar in Ghatkopar West, which the former corporator says is stuck due to lack of coordination between the road department and ward office. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The repairs of roads have stalled in Mumbai. As per a proposal approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of nearly Rs 2,300 crore for road repairs in January, work was to start on 608 roads (Rs 1,651 crore from the total amount) before the monsoon. But as per data from the road department, work has begun on only 308 of those roads.

Former corporator of Kandivli, Shivkumar Jha, claimed three road works were approved a few months ago in his constituency but work has not yet started. Former corporator Pravin Chedda had the same complaint about Ghatkopar West. "The repair of a road in Sainath Nagar is stuck due to lack of coordination between the roads department and ward office," he claimed.

"The BMC's basic plan was to repair stormwater drains first. The roads were dug for work but now it has been held up as there are stalls in the way and permission has not been sought to shift them to repair the drain," he added. Civic activist Sanjay Gurav alleged that BMC's road works stalling is an annual affair. "Every year, the BMC announces road repair work and it gets stuck. They should have proper plans and proper permissions should be in place before proposals are approved. Why is the BMC always in a hurry to pass proposals without having a plan for the work?" said Gurav.

Former MLA Rais Shaikh said of 10 road repair works approved in Mumbai Central, only three have started. "The traffic police can't allow the repairs of all roads at the same time as it will create traffic issues. But the BMC should at least give work orders to the contractor. If contractors get work orders they are bound to maintain the road till repairs start. It is suspected that the BMC is helping contractors by not giving the work order," said Shaikh.

"The BMC planned to create a permanent duct on a road over six metres wide and appointed a consultant for the same. But as the consultant did not submit the report on it, the road work has been halted," said former opposition leader in the BMC, Ravi Raja. He said he wrote a letter to Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu about the issue.

As per the road department, 138 roads are to be repaired in the eastern suburbs but work started only on 54 road works. In the city, BMC planned to repair 121 roads, but work started only on 41 of them. At least 349 roads were to be repaired in the western suburbs but work started only on 213 roads. Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu did not respond to calls.

Road repair cost

City: Rs 389 crore
Western Suburbs: Rs 833 cr
Eastern Suburbs: Rs 429 cr

Rs 1,651crore
Estimated cost for the repairs of the 608 roads