With the reduction in rainfall intensity, the municipal construction department in Nashik has initiated a campaign to fill potholes on roads across all six divisions of the city.
What stands out in this effort is that the potholes are now being filled directly with gravel and asphalt, ensuring a more durable solution.
Continuous heavy rainfall until last week had caused numerous large potholes across city roads, making it difficult to perform adequate repairs. Initially, soil and mud were used to fill the potholes, but this temporary solution quickly deteriorated due to persistent rains, which led to slippery roads and an increase in accidents. The situation sparked protests from various political parties, demanding an immediate response from the administration. Two BJP MLAs also issued an ultimatum to the Municipal Commissioner to fill the potholes within eight days.
In response, the municipal authorities were quick to switch to "active mode," but the heavy rainfall hindered their efforts. As a result, earlier attempts at filling the potholes with soil were washed away, leaving the roads in poor condition again.
Now that the rain has subsided and Diwali celebrations are approaching, the municipal administration has resumed its efforts to fill the potholes, this time with gravel and asphalt. According to Sanjay Agarwal, the City Engineer of the Nashik Municipal Corporation, the goal is to make the city pothole-free as quickly as possible. If the rain holds off, the campaign will progress even more rapidly.
In the last eight months, the Nashik Municipal Corporation has spent Rs 31 crore on road repairs, with an additional provision of Rs 80 crore allocated for road maintenance in the current budget.
