Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): After months of bureaucratic back-and-forth, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally begun repairing deteriorating roads in the state capital—starting with filling over 115 potholes in the inner areas of Ashoka Garden, under Narela constituency. The move came after Commissioner Harendra Narayan reprimanded officials for prolonged delays in road maintenance.
Despite a population of nearly 4 lakh, roads in the area had remained in disrepair for the past eight months. Neither Public Works Department (PWD) nor BMC accepted responsibility.
The corporation’s Mechanical Department claimed most of the roads were constructed by PWD, while PWD officials said that although asphalt work had been carried out during assembly elections, there was no formal handover to the corporation.
Caught between departments, residents endured worsening road conditions, especially in high-density areas like Ashoka Garden. Now, BMC’s Mechanical Department has launched a repair drive, starting with filling 115 potholes.
Deep potholes on Semra Road near Ashoka Garden police station (Ward 38), Bhopal Station Road and Ekta Puri Road were among the first to be addressed.
Quick fix with waste
To prevent waterlogging during monsoon, BMC is temporarily repairing severely damaged stretches like Union Carbide Road (DIG Bungalow Square to Colony Square) and Karond Mandi Road using construction and demolition (C&D) waste.
One-week deadline
Subodh Jain, Superintending Engineer of BMC’s Mechanical Department, said 298 roads in the city are still within their guarantee period. Of these, 285 are in good condition, while 13 require minor repairs. The agencies concerned have been given a one-week deadline to complete the work.
