BMC Boosts Pothole Repairs with New Equipment

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed an additional 10 mastic cookers, bringing the total to 35. This strategic move is aimed at accelerating the repair process during the dry spell. According to BMC officials, significant progress has been made, with only 208 potholes remaining to be repaired.

However, recent developments have prompted the issuance of show cause notices to nine additional sub-engineers, escalating the total number of such notices to 22, which also includes those previously directed at 13 contractors for lapses in maintenance. The initiative follows a troubling increase in potholes due to recent heavy rains, which have caused the number of potholes to surge from an initial count of 12,761 identified between June 1 and August 1.

The mastic cookers, each with a capacity of 12 metric tons, are equipped with GPS technology to monitor their deployment and efficiency. These machines are expected to significantly enhance the speed and quality of pothole repairs, covering between 160 to 180 square meters of road surface each. A senior BMC official stated, “The current dry weather conditions are optimal for mastic repairs, as they ensure proper setting of the material. To minimise traffic disruptions, repairs are scheduled at night during weekdays and during the day on weekends when traffic is lighter. Sub-engineers who have failed to meet the 24-hour repair deadline are being held accountable through show-cause notices.”

The BMC oversees a vast road network of 2,050 kilometres, with approximately 1,000 kilometres having been concreted as of 2022. Last year, the civic body commenced the concretisation of 397 kilometres of roads under Phase 1, with only 30% of this work completed to date. Phase 2, which involves an additional 312 kilometres, is yet to commence. For the current year, the BMC has earmarked INR 275 crore specifically for pothole repairs, underscoring its commitment to addressing this pressing infrastructure challenge.