Conceding that the scale of the pothole problem in Mumbai was worrisome, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday warned of strict action against erring contractors.
“The situation is serious. There is much discontent among Mumbaikars as to why this is happening. Are the contractors at fault or is it the specifications? Potholes are found on roads across the world, but the scale of the problem here is a cause for concern. Strict action will be taken against contractors, who are found to be responsible [for shoddy work],” Mr. Chavan told journalists after heading a high-level meeting of experts and related agencies.
Pothole filling work would be undertaken between 12 to 4 p.m. wherever possible and with the permission of the Traffic police. While he offered no deadline, the work had to be done on a war footing, the Chief Minister said.
He stressed the need to build separate cadres for departments handling each of the infrastructural areas, such as road, water and drainage. “Heads of departments change every six months and that affects the levels of expertise [of these departments],” he said.
Short- and long-term solutions were examined at the meeting. Mr. Chavan has issued directions to the Mumbai municipal corporation to test and bring in new technologies of road design. Three of the four available “new material technologies” need to be imported.
Road designs were made as per the Indian Road Congress specifications, but “more care needs to be taken.” Mr. Chavan said the civic body should make designs which were not “technically lacking.” Authorities have been directed to enlist the help of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) for the move to newer road design technologies.
