Rain brings potholes, waterlogging

Uran Phata near Nerul, Kharghar toll naka completely submerged in rain water, making life difficult for motorists

Incessant rains for the past few days in Navi Mumbai and Panvel have hit the city hard with waterlogging and potholes being reported from all over the city, subways getting filled with water and traffic snarls.

The rains since Saturday have been heavy, sending transport services out of gear and the situation worsening with NMMT and BEST buses breaking down on the road.

Heavy rush can be seen at the bus stops and railway stations due the delayed service, especially during the morning and evening peak hours.

The highways too have been perennially blocked with SionPanvel highway being the worst. While there are potholes

Yogesh Patil, a resident of Panvel, said: “Potholes have resurfaced on Sion-Panvel highway. Some areas of the stretch at Uran Phata near Nerul, Kharghar Toll Naka and between Kalamboli and Kamothe are completely submerged in rain water, making life difficult for the motorists. There is also waterlogging under the Panvel flyover.”

Even Palm Beach Road, especially before Moraj circle traffic signal, is experiencing heavy traffic jams.

Sanjeev Gupta, a Vashi resident, said: “Since there are umpteen potholes on SionPanvel highway, most motorists prefer driving on Palm Beach Road. This results in traffic snarls on the road which extends up to Vashi.”

The situation is similar on Thane-Belapur Road as well, where too traffic has been moving at a snail’s pace due to construction work and also potholes in some areas.

Potholes have sprung up on several internal roads of the city especially in Ghansoli, Digha and Airoli areas.

Dinanath Mhatre, a resident of Gothivli, said: “At times, it becomes difficult to understand if there are potholes in roads or there is a road in the potholes. The entire area is full of potholes.”

The Cidco constructed six subways along the trans-harbour route at Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane, Turbhe and Sanpada continue to be waterlogged.

Pedestrians as well as motorists face major hardships due waterlogging in the subways with the officials seeming unable to set things right.

The water pumps installed seem ineffective to handle the surge of water. A road at Uran Phata in Nerul is flooded after Friday’s downpour. Children trudge to school at Vashi on Friday as it rained incessantly.

Standing committee chairman Shivram Patil has demanded that the NMMC administration re-negotiate the terms of agreement with Fortis-Hiranandani hospital on the number of patients that the civic body can refer to the hospital for free treatment.

Speaking in the standing committee meeting earlier this week, during discusson of health department functioning of the civic body, Patil said, “The agreement on the quantum of patients that NMMC can refer to FortisHiranandani under the Public Private Partnership scheme ended in April. It is imperative that the administration renegotiate the terms and ensure higher number of patients benefit from the arrangement.”

Patil said, “The previous health department official had entered into long-term lease agreement with the hospital in collusion with his political bosses, which ultimately harmed the civic body and was against the interest of the citizens.”

He added, “The terms negotiated again for the patients under a six-year agreement, too does not serve the purpose. It has been in force for one year and needs to be renegotiated. “

“Earlier, it was not negotiation by adjustments and bargaining sans taking the ground realities into consideration.”

The standing committee chairman said, “For a population that is close to 15 lakh in the city, only 800 patients can be referred at present to the hospital. It is such a miniscule number and denies super speciality health service to a large section of needy patients.”

Patil said, “I have asked the administration to form a special committee of experts to work on a new proposal and present it to the general body of NMMC for approval. We have to ensure that a maximum number of residents benefit from the scheme.”

BACHCHAN KUMAR