Public Outrage Erupts Over Substandard Road Patchwork In Bhiwandi; Work Halted Midway

Bhiwandi: Civic claims of pre-monsoon preparedness in Bhiwandi have come under sharp public scrutiny after residents halted an ongoing road patchwork project, alleging grossly substandard execution. The incident occurred in Ward No. 4 under Ward Committee No. 1 along the Vetal Pada–Aaliya Complex stretch where agitated locals staged a protest and forced the contractor to stop work.

The patchwork was being carried out near Faizul Uloom Masjid when residents noticed what they described as inferior and deceptive work. According to locals, instead of proper asphalt a diluted oil-like substance was being sprayed on the road surface. Terming it a blatant misuse of taxpayers’ money, citizens gathered on the road and demanded immediate suspension of the work.

When questioned, a civic engineer clarified that due to the unavailability of asphalt the contractor was using emulsion as an alternative material. However, residents alleged that the application lacked basic quality standards and appeared more like water mixed with oil than a durable road solution.

Notably, the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) had awarded a contract worth ₹1 crore to Ulhasnagar-based Jhapi & Company for carrying out patchwork repairs across roads under Ward Committee No.1 While the initiative was aimed at addressing potholes ahead of the monsoon, locals argued that after years of neglect, merely filling potholes was insufficient. They demanded complete road reconstruction instead of temporary fixes.

Residents further alleged that the contractor failed to carry out essential pre-work procedures such as cleaning the road surface before applying the patchwork. No proper work has been done here for the past eight years. Now that work has finally begun, it is being executed poorly. If public money is being spent, the work must be durable said one of the protesting citizens.

Adding to their concerns, locals highlighted the absence of a proper drainage system along the road, which leads to waterlogging during rains and accelerates road damage. They urged the civic administration to construct a drainage line alongside the road to ensure longevity of the repairs.

Upon receiving information about the protest, former corporator Mahboob Shaikh rushed to the spot and attempted to pacify the crowd. He assured residents that if any lapses in quality were found, a high-level inquiry would be initiated. The situation briefly turned tense, as a section of locals supported continuation of the work, citing long delays in civic repairs. However, protesting residents maintained that quality should not be compromised for the sake of urgency.

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Providing further clarification, Junior Engineer Wasim Shaikh from the civic ward office stated that asphalt shortages—partly attributed to global supply disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions—had delayed the work. “Emulsion is also used in patchwork as a standard alternative. The contractor has been assigned only patch repairs, while residents are demanding full road construction. A proposal for a drainage line has been submitted to the local MLA,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mahboob Shaikh backed the residents’ concerns, stating, “The public anger is justified. There is visible negligence in the work. I have personally inspected the site and will demand strict action against any compromise in quality.”

The incident has once again spotlighted the gap between civic claims and ground realities, raising serious questions about accountability and execution standards in pre-monsoon infrastructure works.

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