‘Unfinished, shoddy’: Residents rue BMC’s Chandivali road work
The Citizens’ Civic Welfare Association (CCWA), which has been persistently urging the BMC’s Roads Department to expedite the work, says the progress has been slow.
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The work order for this 557-metre connector road was issued in February 2023, with an expected completion date of February 2024. (File Photo)Residents of Chandivali and Powai have been irked by the “unfinished, shoddy” work of Chandivali DP Road 9, which links Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road and Chandivali Farm Road, and was opened to public on June 16. They have taken up the issue with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Road & Traffic Department through social media platform X and to the commissioner’s office through MP Varsha Gaikwad.
The work order for this 557-metre connector road was issued in February 2023, with an expected completion date of February 2024. However, 15 months later, only one side of the road has been constructed. The remaining work, primarily on the drainage system, remains pending, delaying the completion of the road.
The Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA), which has been persistently urging the BMC’s Roads Department to expedite the work, says the progress has been slow.
“The work went on at snail’s pace all year, then was hastily completed in a month, resulting in shoddy work. It’s hard to distinguish the old and new sections. The road is barely motorable, endangering lives and wasting taxpayers’ money,” said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder member of CCWA.
Claiming that the road is accident-prone, a resident said, “We are very cautious driving on this road. The car bumper got damaged while driving on a bad patch. Looks like the contractor has built this road for free.”
Complaints range from shoddy construction to the lack of footpaths and the area becoming an illegal garbage dumping spot and unauthorised parking ground. The absence of proper infrastructure and ongoing illegal activities pose significant risks to both pedestrians and drivers. The authorities are yet to provide a clear timeline for the completion of the remaining work.
Sanjay Sonawane, BMC chief engineer of Eastern Roads, said, “Ready-mix concrete was used, ensuring no uneven elevations common with manual methods. Although only halfway completed, the road was opened to ease congestion on the stretch. The project is expected to be finished by January 2025 but work is impractical at present due to monsoon.”
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