BMC suspends contractor for not fixing roads

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has suspended a contractor who failed to fill up potholes on roads in the western suburbs.u00a0

out of shape: Roads in western suburbs of Vile Parle, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon and Malad are a sorry sight. File pic

Atasha Ashirwad Builders was given the contract of filling potholes in areas of Vile Parle, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon and Malad, which costs about Rs 12 crore. However, in the last 10 days, the BMC received many complaints from locals regarding the deplorable condition of the roads especially in Andheri. Other worst hit areas are S V Road, JVPD, Gokhale road, N Datta approach road, Juhu circle and Swami Samarth circle.

"We have suspended Atasha Ashirwad Builders responsible to fill potholes in the Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari areas. He has been suspended for 15 days and till then the work will be done by another contractor," said SVR Shrinivas, additional municipal commissioner in charge of roads.

"I have raised the issue about bad patches in Shastri Nagar, DN Nagar, Lokhandwala areas many times in the standing committee. The ward in charge had visited the area twice to inspect the roads but the condition of the roads has not improved yet," said Jyotsna Dighe, a Congress corporator from Andheri.

Rahul Shewale, chairman of civic standing committee too received similar complaints from corporators in the western suburbs. He said, "Contractors will be punished if they do shoddy work. We have discussed the western suburb pothole issue in the standing committee meeting and repeated complaints will not be tolerated."

"Ram Mandir Road in Oshiwara is an important road that connects SV Road and Western Express Highway via the Oshiwara level crossing. The road is pathetic. Paver blocks have come off and there are potholes," said Sandeep Pawar, a resident of Andheri.u00a0