Mumbai needs ‘single planning authority’ for pothole-free roads: BMC to HC

Mumbai cannot be pothole-free till the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation becomes the “single planning authority” to look after the maintenance of roads, the civic body in the metropolis told the Bombay High Court on Friday.

In a presentation to a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik, BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal said 2,050 kilometres of the city are in the civic body’s jurisdiction and some 500 kilometres with 15 other agencies.

“The problem is, apart from the BMC, we have 15 other agencies who own 500 kilometres of road. I am not supposed to spend my fund on this. Most complaints are from these areas. If these 15 agencies do not pull up their socks then we will not have a pothole-free city,” Chahal said.