Mid-Day exclusive: BMC to inspect Ganeshotsav routes, fix potholes and remove risky speed breakers

A Ganpati idol makes its way from a workshop in Parel to its pandal on August 23. PIC/SHADAB KHAN

With less than a month remaining for Ganeshotsav, engineers from the roads department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been instructed to walk along and assess procession popular routes in their respective wards to ensure they have smooth surfaces, minimal potholes, and no speed breakers that will catch vehicles bearing large idols off guard.

[popcorn number="135" desc="No of pothole grievances registered on Monday" class="Default"]

On Monday, a day after Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburbs Ashish Shelar directed the BMC to inspect all idol routes within 24 hours, a senior civic official closely associated with the management of the festival told mid-day, "The instructions were communicated with the roads department as part of the principal preparations for the 10-day festival. All routes used for ‘aagman' [arrival] and ‘visarjan' [immersion] are being inspected by road officials of every ward on foot."

Recent tragedy

Shelar's instructions came a day after two people were killed, and five others - including two children, Lavanya Ganer, 5, and Divya Ganer, 7 - were injured, after a 22-foot-tall Ganesh idol toppled forward on Bhuleshwar Road, a mere 15 to 20 metres away from the pandal where it was supposed to be placed.

Pointing to the condition of the street via which the idol had arrived, Jayesh Vora, a Bhuleshwar resident, had told mid-day, "Look at the surface of the road. How can anyone say for certain that the idol didn't encounter any bumps while travelling on this road? There is a major pothole and depression on the street near the spot where the idol tilted and fell. Who is to say with certainty that this was not the reason why the truck tilted? Why didn't BMC fix this patch?"

‘Minister raised our concerns'

Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, said, "There is no specific update that we have received from the BMC following the Bhuleshwar tragedy. Our volunteers continue to coordinate with ward-level officials. Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar-ji raised our concerns, which has put pressure on the BMC, which will hopefully expedite the preparation work. We are waiting for Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to meet us. The meeting that takes place every year has already been delayed. If it doesn't take place soon, we will meet the chief minister in a final meeting," said Dahibavkar.

Official Speak

A senior roads department official said, "Special road repair drives were already ongoing ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. This past weekend, officials have carried out a lot of work as well."

Another official stated that while civic officials were already carrying out the responsibilities, the fresh instructions from the top was aimed at ensuring the repairs were carried out with care and expedited.

Citywide potholes data as of Aug 24

Grievances registered on Monday: 135
Grievances registered since Saturday: 414
Grievances resolved since Saturday: 338
Overall grievances pending: 235
(Source: BMC)

With inputs from Eeshanpriya MS