IN PHOTOS: Mid-Day’s ground report exposes BMC’s poor planning for Mumbai roads

Updated On: 21 April, 2025 01:59 PM IST | Anushree Gaikwad

Mumbai currently resembles a chaotic treasure hunt, with nearly every street and bylane dug up for road concreting, utility repairs, Metro works, or forgotten infrastructure that suddenly demands attention. (Pics/ Anurag Ahire/ Ashish Raje/ Satej Shinde/ Nimesh Dave/ Atul Kamble/ Sayyed Sameer Abedi)

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<p>Road concreting work at Madh-Marve (Aksa-Madh stretch) on April 1, 2025 (right). Road concreting work in progress at Hindu Colony, Dadar, on April 14, 2025</p>

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Road concreting work at Madh-Marve (Aksa-Madh stretch) on April 1, 2025 (right). Road concreting work in progress at Hindu Colony, Dadar, on April 14, 2025

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Madh-Marve road was dug up for concreting work on April 1, 2025

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In some areas, roads are freshly concreted, only to be dug up again to relay missed-out amenities

<p>Officials monitoring the works claim there’s “method in the madness,” and that small stretches are being taken up one at a time. But the sheer scale of this operation is taking a massive toll on citizens, from walkers and motorists to the elderly and disabled</p>

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Officials monitoring the works claim there’s “method in the madness,” and that small stretches are being taken up one at a time. But the sheer scale of this operation is taking a massive toll on citizens, from walkers and motorists to the elderly and disabled

<p>Emergency vehicles are forced to take long diversions, delaying response times. In many areas, hospital access roads are dug up with no viable alternative routes</p>

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Emergency vehicles are forced to take long diversions, delaying response times. In many areas, hospital access roads are dug up with no viable alternative routes

<p>Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates accessible infrastructure, Mumbai’s footpaths and streets remain largely non-compliant</p>

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Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates accessible infrastructure, Mumbai’s footpaths and streets remain largely non-compliant

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For the city’s 4 lakh-plus disabled residents, navigating this mess has become nearly impossible

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mid-day reporters scouted five zones—south, central, east, west, and north Mumbai—to document the impact of the digging drive

<p>This five-part campaign will focus on key problem areas: walkability and footpaths, emergency access, accountability, missed deadlines, and potential solutions. “This is clearly a BMC-created crisis,” said Rishi Aggarwal, founder of the Walking Project. “Many roads taken up for concreting were in good condition. Public money is being wasted while citizens suffer. Participatory budgeting at the ward level could have avoided this.”</p>

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This five-part campaign will focus on key problem areas: walkability and footpaths, emergency access, accountability, missed deadlines, and potential solutions. “This is clearly a BMC-created crisis,” said Rishi Aggarwal, founder of the Walking Project. “Many roads taken up for concreting were in good condition. Public money is being wasted while citizens suffer. Participatory budgeting at the ward level could have avoided this.”

<p>Experts highlight that the absence of underground ducting for utilities poses a significant problem. “Without ducts, each time a utility line requires repair, roads are excavated anew—even concrete surfaces,” stated Rao. “This inadequate planning hinders emergency repairs and escalates expenses. It`s a form of criminal negligence.”</p>

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Experts highlight that the absence of underground ducting for utilities poses a significant problem. “Without ducts, each time a utility line requires repair, roads are excavated anew—even concrete surfaces,” stated Rao. “This inadequate planning hinders emergency repairs and escalates expenses. It`s a form of criminal negligence.”

<p>The road concreting project began in 2023. The BMC is spending Rs 12,000 crore to convert 702 km of tar roads into concrete. Before the monsoon, the civic body aims to complete 420 km of this work. The BMC has set a target to convert all roads under its jurisdiction to concrete by 2027. Of the total 2050 km of roads managed by the BMC, over 1350 km have already been converted</p>

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The road concreting project began in 2023. The BMC is spending Rs 12,000 crore to convert 702 km of tar roads into concrete. Before the monsoon, the civic body aims to complete 420 km of this work. The BMC has set a target to convert all roads under its jurisdiction to concrete by 2027. Of the total 2050 km of roads managed by the BMC, over 1350 km have already been converted

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IN PHOTOS: Mid-Day’s ground report exposes BMC’s poor planning for Mumbai roads

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Photo of Day

Breaking barriers and building pyramids — Women power in action!