The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to ensure that potholes on roads are filled before the onset of monsoon. A Division Bench of Justices VM Kanade and MS Karnik was hearing a public interest litigation taken up suo motu by the court following a letter from Justice Gautam Patel of the High Court, about increasing number of potholes and the fatalities caused by them.
“The major problem which the city faces during every monsoon is potholes...various agencies dig up roads but do not restore it properly...Mumbaikars suffer silently and they ignore traffic jams and potholes,” the Bench said.
MCGM counsel Anil Sakhare informed the court that the website started for citizens to lodge complaints on potholes was shut temporarily due to technical snag. “Citizens can lodge complaints on the civic body’s Facebook page.” Major roads would be repaired by May 30, he said.
The court has posted the PIL for hearing in June and directed the corporation to file a compliance report.
In May last year, the High Court had observed that citizens have the fundamental right to good roads and it is the State government’s statutory obligation to provide roads which are pothole-free. — PTI
