Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed all municipal corporations in the state to launch an immediate drive to make roads pothole-free ahead of the upcoming Ganeshotsav and use modern technologies such as precast solutions and geopolymer techno-patches for urgent repairs during the monsoon.
Time-Bound Repairs Ordered On Procession And Immersion Routes
Chairing a special meeting to review the pothole situation in major cities, Shinde directed civic authorities to prepare a time-bound programme to repair potholes, particularly on internal roads, immersion routes and major procession routes.
Shinde said several complaints regarding potholes had been received from major cities across the state and the issue had also come under the scrutiny of the Bombay High Court, which had directed the government to undertake urgent repairs.
Civic Commissioners Asked To Inspect Roads Personally
With only a few days left for Ganeshotsav, Shinde asked municipal commissioners to immediately begin repairing potholes and give priority to roads used for Ganesh processions and immersion. He also directed officials to inspect immersion routes, procession routes and immersion ghats and ensure that all necessary civic facilities are in place.
He called for dedicated teams to regularly inspect roads and identify potholes. Civic bodies were also asked to publish helpline numbers for citizens to report potholes and ensure that complaints received through mobile applications are resolved immediately.
24x7 Road Repair Mechanism Planned During Festival
Shinde directed municipal corporations to keep a 24x7 road repair mechanism ready during the festival period and conduct regular inspections of ongoing works. He said municipal commissioners should take field visits themselves whenever necessary instead of limiting inspections to their offices.
He also instructed civic bodies to post photographs of potholes before and after repairs on social media platforms so that citizens can be informed about the work undertaken.
No new digging on roads during festival
Shinde directed agencies to coordinate closely to prevent potholes on roads under their jurisdiction and ensure immediate repairs wherever necessary. The Public Works Department, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), among others, have been asked to appoint teams for this purpose.
If roads under the jurisdiction of these agencies become a source of inconvenience to citizens, the concerned municipal corporation should undertake repairs at its own expense and subsequently recover the cost from the responsible agency, Shinde said.
He also directed authorities not to permit any new road digging during the Ganeshotsav period.
Special attention should be given to electrical wires along Ganesh procession and immersion routes to prevent accidents, he said.
Shinde further directed civic bodies not to impose unnecessary charges on Ganesh mandals and to ensure that the permission process for festival celebrations remains simple and hassle-free.
“Ganeshotsav is an important and prestigious festival of Maharashtra and ensuring its smooth celebration is our collective responsibility,” Shinde said, appealing to all municipal commissioners to work in coordination so that there are no obstacles to the arrival of Lord Ganesha.
Best-performing civic bodies to get awards
Shinde also announced special awards for municipal corporations that undertake rapid and effective preparations for Ganeshotsav. At the same time, the government will maintain a record of municipal corporations and officials whose work is found to be inadequate. Shinde warned that the performance of such civic bodies would be taken into account while allocating government funds in the future.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
