09 July,2026 07:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
A broken chair placed on the road to make a pothole visible from a distance. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Heavy monsoon showers have left a stretch of Marve Road between Gate No 1 and Malvani Church riddled with dangerous potholes, prompting residents to devise their own safety measures after alleging inaction by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Marve Road is one of the key arterial routes connecting Malad West with Marve, Aksa and Madh beach and sees thousands of vehicles daily, including heavy vehicles. Residents say the damaged road not only poses a serious risk of accidents but also leads to long traffic snarls, particularly during peak hours.
Plants placed over a pothole to alert motorists
Residents claimed that while most of the road connecting SV Road to Marve and onward to Aksa and Madh beach has been concreted, an approximately 800-metre stretch between Malvani Gate No. 1 and Rathodi remains incomplete. In some sections, only one side of the road has been concreted while the other continues to have an asphalt surface.
To alert motorists and prevent accidents, locals have placed broken chairs and flowerpots inside the potholes, making them visible from a distance so that drivers can avoid the damaged patches. Residents say the makeshift warning markers have become necessary as the road continues to deteriorate despite recent repair work.
According to residents, the BMC had filled several large potholes with asphalt only last week. However, they alleged that the repairs were carried out in an unscientific manner during the ongoing monsoon and without restricting vehicular traffic. As a result, the freshly laid asphalt quickly disintegrated, causing the potholes to reappear and widen.
The uneven asphalt stretch frequently witnesses waterlogging, with rainwater accumulating in low-lying patches even after moderate showers. Locals alleged that the use of poor-quality materials and improper road construction has resulted in recurring potholes every monsoon.
Anand Mishra, local resident
âThe BMC recently filled the potholes with asphalt, but the work was done during the rain while traffic continued to ply on the road. The repairs did not last even a week, and the potholes have started appearing again. They are now getting bigger with every spell of rain.'
