Connect with us
Wednesday,09-April-2025
Breaking News

General

Mumbai News: Over 6K Potholes Filled; Thousands More Need Repair, Says BMC Opposition Leader

Published

on

Mumbai: The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) claims to have filled up 6,045 potholes across the metropolis from April 1 to July 24. However, there are several thousands more which need filling up and it is not clear when that will happen.

Ravi Raja, a former leader of the opposition in the BMC, said, “The potholes come up with great regularity because the original work itself is shoddy. If the contractors selected by the MCGM had done a good job initially, there would have been no potholes. These potholes are proof of massive corruption in the civic corporation.”

Where has all the money gone?

“In May-June, the MCGM had floated a tender for ₹250 crore for pothole filling and gave ₹2 crore to each ward for the same. Where has all the money gone? There are more than 16,000 potholes in the city,” Raja added.

Following heavy rains, thousands of potholes have cropped all over the city and suburbs like in the past years. These not only slow down vehicular traffic, but also pose a major danger to pedestrians.

“Parel flyover is a disgrace to the city and no one in the BMC appears to be bothered about it. The problem had started even before the rains. So it is wrong to blame the potholes here on the rains,” said Chandrakant Mhatre, a local citizen. The Lalbaug and Sion flyovers are fast catching up with Parel flyover in terms of potholes and uneven surfaces.

The BMC has carried out several experiments on roads to make the city pothole-free but without much success. Till date, 512 metric tonne of dry mix has been provided to 24 administrative wards in the city to fill up the craters. However, the work carried out by the contractors is shabby, complain activists.

The city witnessed heavy rains last week and that has increased the number of bad patches. The civic body has received several complaints about potholes from citizens through websites, mobile apps, social media and toll-free numbers. Additional municipal commissioner, P Velrasu, has started inspecting the work along with senior civic officials of the road department at several places in the city from Sunday.

BMC uses M-60 and reactive asphalt to fill up potholes

The BMC is using rapid hardening of concrete (also known as M-60) and reactive asphalt to fix potholes this year. After taking a review, he instructed the officials to fill all the bad patches on all the roads, including the eastern and western express highway and eastern freeway up on priority.

“Several teams have been formed for co-ordination to detect bad patches and get them filled in the proper manner on war-footing. Contractors have also been appointed in seven zones for two years to get the bad patches repaired.

However, the citizens and activists are not convinced by the BMC’s claims. “The civic body is spending crores but their work is shabby,” said Nikhil Desai, an activist from Matunga. “The BMC experiments with several different technologies but it gets washed out with heavy rain,” said Vinod Gholap, a resident of Malad. Godfrey Pimenta, an activist from Andheri.”

Funds allotted for potholes

Potholes filled from April 1 to July 24: Total 6,045

Funds to fill potholes

₹125 crore at zonal level

₹2 crore each for 24 administrative wards

Material used: 512 metric tonne dry cold mix

Road network in city: 2050km

Asphalt road: 1058km

Concrete road:1056km

Maharashtra

Drugs worth Rs 50 crore destroyed in Mumbai

Published

on

Mumbai: In line with the 100-day program launched by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Anti-Narcotics Cell, ANC of Mumbai Police seized 530 kg 4433 bottles of cocaine worth a total of Rs 50 crore in 130 court cases registered in Mumbai. The operation was completed at Maharashtra Government approved Waste Management Private Limited Company, Taluja Panwal Raigad. The action was taken on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Pansalkar, Special Commissioner Devin Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police Satyanarayan Chaudhary, Joint Commissioner of Police Laxmi Gautam. Satyanarayan Chaudhary is also the chairman of the committee and the operation was carried out by ANC DCP Shyam Ghaghe.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Police action against drunk drivers, 7 cases registered

Published

on

Mumbai: Mumbai Traffic Police has intensified its action against drunk drivers and has also taken action against those violating traffic rules. Mumbai Traffic Police has registered a case under Section 125 against drunk driving. On April 8, 7 cases were registered under Section 125 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 2023 against drunk driving and their licenses have also been canceled.

In this case, the traffic police has registered a case of drunk driving against Sagar Prabhakar, 27, Thana, Dilip Subhash Yadav, 28, Mazgaon, Rakesh Shivaji Rathore, 22, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, Rahim Sheikh, 30, Belapur, Navi Mumbai, Surjeet Singh, 26, Sakinaka, Prakash Yashwant, 39, Kajopara, Borivali, Ajay Kumar Ram Shankar Singh, 40, Jogeshwari. The traffic police has tried to curb this by intensifying action against drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol and endanger the lives of others. The traffic police said that the process of action against those violating traffic rules has been expedited and action is being taken accordingly.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Order to close non-aided schools in Mumbai and Thane… Future of lakhs of children in danger, Abu Asim Azmi demands the government to withdraw the order

Published

on

After declaring private non-aided schools in Mumbai and Thane illegal and issuing orders to close them, the supply of electricity and water to the schools should be stopped immediately and cases should be registered and the process of closing these schools should be postponed, this demand was made by Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi today during a meeting with Education Minister Dadbhasha here along with a delegation of teachers and school administration.

Abu Asim Azmi said that there are many schools in Thane and Govandi which are providing English medium education to poor children at a low and reasonable fee of Rs 400 to 500, but now their electricity and water connections are being cut to close these schools. Police is being sent to these schools. Due to the closure of these schools, thousands of children will be deprived of education. First, arrangements should be made for the education of these children and then a decision should be taken in this regard. Abu Asim Azmi handed over a memorandum to the Education Minister and told that 81 corporation schools in Thane district have been declared illegal and notice has been given to close them. Where will the lakhs of poor children here go? He told that the conditions of 5000 square feet of land and FD of Rs 1.5 lakh along with a lease agreement of 30 years should be fulfilled. Fees of Rs 20 to 25 lakh for private schools should also be abolished. He said that similarly, in Govind Shivaji Nagar, many private schools providing education to children at low fees are also being declared illegal and action is being taken. If these schools are closed, teachers will become unemployed and the future of children will also become dark. He said that first of all arrangements should be made for the education of these children and then some steps should be taken to provide education to everyone. Education Minister Dadabhai has assured necessary action on Abu Asim Azmi’s demand and said that a decision will be taken after considering the matter.

Continue Reading

Trending