Mumbai: Mumbai’s roads continue to be in a dismal state, with ongoing construction, poor-quality patchwork and unplanned digging making commuting a nightmare for residents. Despite repeated assurances from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about road improvement projects, ground realities tell a different story.
A glaring example of the inefficiency was highlighted in Mulund East, where a BMC notice at a construction site stated that repairing a mere 60-meter stretch of road would take 300 days.
A frustrated local resident posted a picture of the banner on X, questioning, “Are you freaking serious @mybmcWardT @mybmc? 300 DAYS FOR 60 METER ROAD? Mindless digging all over Mulund. Did we find crude or Gold?" The post quickly gained traction, with many Mumbaikars echoing similar grievances. However, the BMC has yet to respond.
Congress Exposes BMC’s Poor Planning
To highlight the lack of accountability and subpar execution of the city’s road concretisation projects, the Mumbai Congress has launched the ‘Corruption Mere Gully Mein’ campaign, which includes a citizens’ audit of ongoing works. The audit has already covered three roads in the western suburbs: SV Road in Kandivali, IC Colony Road No. 4, and Mithaghar Road in Dahisar West.
Former corporator Sheetal Mhatre, leading the initiative, criticized the contractors for failing to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs). “There is no proper barricading for public safety, curing is neglected, drainage work is ignored, and utility placements are haphazard,” she said. Mhatre’s audit of Mithaghar Road also revealed that footpaths had been unnecessarily narrowed, unsafe trenches had been dug, and the lack of barricades posed serious risks to pedestrians and motorists.
Mumbai Congress Calls for Public Participation
Mumbai Congress President and MP Varsha Gaikwad has termed the BMC’s road concretisation project a massive scam. In a post on X, she wrote, “The Mumbai road concretisation scam is the biggest in the city's history. Alert citizens in IC Colony, along with Mhatre, have forced BMC and its contractors to rectify defects, but we need a citywide movement to hold this government accountable. Mumbaikars are suffering, and taxpayers are being looted.”
Urging citizens to join the movement, she encouraged people to send photos and videos of poorly executed projects to @INCMumbai or tag her directly. “We will amplify your voice and fight for your concerns,” she assured.
BMC's Road Concretisation Plan
Meanwhile, the BMC is working on 1,173 roads spanning 433 kilometers, with 260 roads completed in Phase 1 and 496 currently under construction in Phase 2. The civic body aims to finish 324 kilometers of road concretisation before the monsoon. However, growing concerns about poor-quality work and lack of transparency continue to frustrate Mumbaikars.
