BMC proposes, monsoon disposes

MUMBAI, AUG 1: The civic authorities' efforts to smoothen the pock-marked cityscape have quite literally gone down the drain, with the mo...

MUMBAI, AUG 1: The civic authorities8217; efforts to smoothen the pock-marked cityscape have quite literally gone down the drain, with the monsoon working hard at undoing the spot repairs undertaken so far. Despite the Rs 3 lakh spent by the Roads Department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC, the condition of the 300 km in dire need of attention remains practically unchanged.

Unmindful of the fact that the elements have been shovelling out the gravel and tar poured into cracks and potholes just as soon as they are laid, the BMC now plans to spend another Rs 4 lakh following complaints from corporators and angry citizens.

Under Phase-II, which began on Friday, he BMC has targeted the city8217;s roads, with the suburban lunarscape scheduled to be tackled next week, according to a senior officer with the Roads Department. Considering the appaling condition of Mumbai8217;s roads, Mayor Hareshwar Patil had in fact asked the civic administration to hasten the work and complete it at least 10 days beforeGanesh Chaturthi, which falls in mid-September.

Of the 1,850 km in Mumbai, about 300 km are in dire need of repair, with 200 km falling within the city limits alone, according to statistics with the Roads Department. Apart from the major roads, even the service roads opened to traffic due to the ongoing construction of flyovers in the city, require urgent attention as in suburbs like Ghatkopar, Andheri and Jogeshwari.

Chief Engineer in charge of roads, G K Apte, told Express Newsline that with the city having already received half its rainfall, the BMC8217;s efforts would not be futile. Besides, he said, the current lull in the monsoon will help speed up the pace.

As for concretisation, Apte says the 280 km covered under the programme thus far are in excellent condition. The programme is, however, at a standstill as the erstwhile Mayor-in-Council, which was dissolved in April, had decided not to approve any works for 1999-2000 given the huge budgetary deficit. pEven provisions for spot repairs had beenscaled down. While Rs 10 lakh is usually set aside for the purpose, this was cut to half. The administration was subsequently forced to make a special provision considering the condition of the city8217;s roads.