25 August,2010 06:51 AM IST | | Somita Pal
Aseem Gupta, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) battles questions about potholes and the shape of the roads in Mumbai today. Gupta admits much needs to be done as motorists bump and grind their way to work and pedestrians are forced to do an obstacle course over potholes.
I agree the roads are not in good shape. Roads are the face of any city and they have to be the best. Pothole-ridden roads and bumpy rides portray a bad image.
I am open to trying new technology to solve the pothole problems in the city.
The new technology may be for the future but what is the immediate solution to the problem that continues plaguing the city?
Presently, we are facing problems because of the heavy downpour. There is no money crunch but we are not getting enough rain breaks to repair potholes. As a result, any patchwork done in a hurry spoils the road further. We are therefore using paver blocks on a few roads as a temporary solution and will re-make the road after the monsoon.
There is an accusation that you give priority to VIP roads.u00a0
We have 24 wards and each ward is taken care by a contractor. This is a myth that we give priority to certain roads. We don't give priority to VIP roads. Only if the President of India is visiting, priority is given to the roads her convoy would travel on.
Pothole politics
Potholes may have become the latest political sparring tool between parties. Just earlier this month, in fact, two months after Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray released his photography book Maharashtra Desha with a cover photo of the Lonar Lake, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) brought out a mock book Mumbai Desha, highlighting the poor infrastructure during the monsoon topped with a pothole shot.
The MNS also held a two-day photo exhibition in Dadar, showing pictures of potholes, garbage and other crumbling civic amenities.u00a0
Uddhav had in May, released his book that comprised aerial shots of forts, caves and other natural resources of the state. The MNS exhibition had top shots of potholes.
Kabhi cushy, kabhi bump
All those rough rides have resulted in me wondering...
Cartoon/Satish Acharya
>>Whether jumping over potholes is a great cardiovascular exercise to get rid of a pot belly?
>>Whether one pothole tells another: Look at all these lovers canoodling in their cars, honestly we could write the car-masutra.
>>Whether Indian tycoons like Mallya and Ambanis will sail yachts on potholes one of these days.
>>Why like our heritage walks we do not have pothole walks?
>>Why Iodex does not release an advertisement this season with the catch line: Iodex maliye, pothole road pe chaliye?
>>Whether one stiletto on the left foot tells the other on the right which has been broken thanks to a pothole: stiletto, go 'heel' thyself.
>>Why Karan Johar does not make a movie on commuting on roads littered with potholes called, Kabhi cushy, kabhi bump?
>>Why are you reading this tripe, anyway?
