Potholes are nothing new, and it’s not a big deal if they continue to plague roads, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Chandrakant Patil said on Tuesday. The shocker is the latest from the senior Cabinet Minister, who has been targeted by the Opposition in recent weeks for making controversial statements on the State’s bad roads. Mr. Patil has set December 15 as the deadline for eradicating potholes.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Parbhani district, Mr. Patil blamed the earlier Congress-NCP government for poor roads, and claimed it couldn’t allocate enough funds for their maintenance. “Maharashtra never received enough funds to build roads that, once constructed, will survive for 15 to 20 years. Every year, the PWD would use funds available to fill potholes after the monsoon.”
He said, “ Tyamule navyane kahi yavarshi khadde padale ani kahitari aabhal kosalale ase nahi. Gelyahi varshi khadded padlele aamhi December madhe bujavale .” (Therefore, this is not something new that potholes have emerged and the sky has fallen. Even last year we filled the potholes in December.)
The Opposition was quick to react, with NCP MP Supriya Sule saying Mr. Patil’s statement smacked of arrogance. “People have died in this government’s regime after falling from vehicles due to potholes. The sky has fallen on their families. It seems the minister has lost his emotions in the arrogance of power.”
The NCP has been running a social media campaign called #selfiewithpotholes, targeting statements made by Mr. Patil. In the past, he has announced an award to anyone who can show him a pothole. Mr. Patil also courted controversy recently for saying contractors can spend half the project money on raw material for road construction and rest on the media to shut their mouth.
