For the last few weeks, travelling through the Ghodbunder route in Thane has been problematic for Thanekars. Motorists have to face a two-hour traffic jam due to potholes and lots of barricades on the road. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activist Swapnil Mahindrakar, through RTI, received information that there are more than 200 potholes on Ghodbunder road.
Swapnil Mahindrakar, city president of MNS's public interest legal department, said, "The road from Kapurbawdi to the Fountain hotel in Thane is the most damaged. As per the information received through RTI, some parts of the road on the entire route come under the jurisdiction of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), some with the public works department (PWD), some with the Metro Project, some with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), and some with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority(MMRDA). However, due to a lack of coordination between them, the road repair is being done only on a temporary basis. There are more than two hundred potholes on this road, and although work is being done to fill the potholes every day, it is coming to light that there is no help in reducing the traffic congestion. "
"The Ghodbunder route was previously under MSRDC (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) and all the responsibility for this road was with them, but on March 20, 2021, the road from Kapurbawdi to Fountain Hotel was transferred by MSRDC to PWD (Public Works Department). While the service road at Fountain Hotel was under the jurisdiction of Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC), Fountain Hotel has also been transferred to PWD on October 20, 2021. However, despite the fact that most of the roads are under PWD, this department has not issued even a simple tender for filling the potholes yet, "said Mahindrakar.
Suresh Pardeshi, senior engineer of the department, said, "We have taken temporary measures to fill the roads due to heavy rains from the last few days. The maintenance of the roads is carried out, but as of now we are waiting for the funds. "
On the condition of anonymity, a senior officer from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) said, " The funds for the potholed road are still awaited. Our officials are also filling the potholes on a temporary basis.
Mahindrakar said, "In the last four-five months, even after sending a letter to all the authorities about filling all the potholes before the rains, no concrete step has been taken by any authority maintaining the roads. Also, even after a High Court order to not use paver blocks on the roads, the authorities are using paver blocks to fill potholes in Thane city."
Due to potholes, around 9 accidents have taken place in Thane district. On Ghodbunder Road, there have been two deaths.
"As there is no coordination among the authorities, they are only pushing the responsibility on each other and, due to this, the Thanekars are trapped in the cycle of inconvenience despite paying taxes. The potholes on this road should be filled by the administration soon, otherwise there will be a strong agitation on behalf of MNS, "concluded Swapnil Mahindrakar.
