The BMC’s plan to concrete all roads by August 2024 came under scanner on Monday when the Bombay High Court asked how the civic body plans to complete 95% work in such a short time.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor referred to a news report that claimed that only 5% of the roads have been concretised so far. The judges raised concern over the incomplete work, considering monsoon sets in by June, during which no work can be undertaken.
Chief Justice's observations
When the BMC advocate sought more time for filing an affidavit stating that the staff has been busy with election duty and door-to-door survey for Maratha reservation, Chief Justice Upadhyaya quipped, "So the roads will be shut down in Mumbai? Some of your staff are being sent for survey and election duties and therefore the BMC cannot function and not file an affidavit?”
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The bench then directed the BMC to give details on the total length of roads made concrete and the progress made within the limits of the corporation. It has granted additional time to file their replies by the next date of hearing on February 15.
The contempt petition
The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakker seeking contempt action to be initiated against the civic body for failing to implement the HC orders of 2018, directing the repair of potholes along all arterial roads in Mumbai and neighbouring areas.
Thakker pointed out a news report that quoted civic officials saying that of the 397km of roads in south Mumbai only 5% has been completed. Thakker submitted that the civic body was to complete the concretisation within a year from the date when the BMC commissioner appeared before the court on August 11, 2023.
The bench was displeased after noting that neither the BMC nor other municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the state Public Works Department (PWD) filed affidavits showing compliance as per order last month. Chief Justice Upadhyaya said, “…It’s the same story (every year). Clarify that, howsoever incorrect the information given in the news report may be.”
It may be noted that the BMC had informed a bench headed by Justice Gautam Patel that it had cancelled a fresh tender, worth over Rs1,362.34 crore, issued on December 4 to concretise roads in south Mumbai. This was informed while the bench was hearing a plea by Roadway Solutions India Infra Limited (RSIIL), whose contract for concretising south Mumbai roads was terminated last November. Justice Patel’s bench had stayed the effect of a fresh tender, on December 15, saying that there was “no emergency” in concretisation of city roads.
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