Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers Union (BMEU) has strongly objected to the notices sent by civic authorities to sub-engineers regarding delays in pothole filling. They have urged Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to organize a meeting with sub-engineers to address the technical challenges faced by engineers in the field.
Additionally, the Union has criticised other agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Public Works Department (PWD), accusing them of neglecting road maintenance while carrying out their projects.
In recent days, the city has seen a significant increase in potholes due to continuous heavy downpours. The civic body has directed the 227 sub-engineers responsible for pothole maintenance to address complaints within 48 hours.
The authorities have also started issuing show cause notices for delays in pothole repairs, which has dismayed the sub-engineers. Sainath Rajadhyaksh, executive president of BMEU, highlighted these issues in a letter to Gagrani, underscoring the practical difficulties faced by engineers in the road department.
"Despite NOCs given for metro work, roads are not being adequately maintained by their contractors. Civic engineers are now fixing potholes not only on metro-affected roads but also on those managed by PWD, MMRDA, and MSRDC," Rajadhyaksh stated.
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He further pointed out that contractors are failing to supply necessary materials and laborers to repair potholes, exacerbated by the challenges posed by heavy rainfall. He has requested to appoint engineers in two shift for every beat as the current 227 sub-engineers are working 18 hours a day, including weekends, to complete their tasks. Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner (projects) was not available for comment.
