Mumbai: Touted as the world class infrastructure by the authorities, the newly-inaugurated phase 1 of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension flyover is riddled with potholes, lamented motorists. The craters, enveloping a total stretch of 200 metres, have emerged less than three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde dedicated the infrastructure to the public.
The problem lays bare the poor construction quality done by contractor J Kumar Infraprojects and project management consultant Padeco India. “This also raises questions on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) as an agency, who cannot supervise and ensure that quality is not compromised,” said R Jacob, a Kurla resident and frequent user of this elevated road.
Commuters take to Social media
The potholes are so horrible that it seems as if the road was never paved, complained commuters. Several of them have taken up the issue on social media highlighting the deplorable state of the 3.8-km-long bridge that connects the Kurla depot flyover with Vakola.
MMRDA officials claimed that they have already informed the contractor to initiate patch work. When asked about the action taken against the contractor, Metropolitan Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee did not respond.
The MMRDA is spending a whopping Rs645 crore on the entire project which will connect the Kapadia Junction on the CST Road with the Western Express Highway. Already, the cost has escalated by one third from its earlier price.
