Motorists to have a bumpy ride
Three experts and BMC officials accompanied HT to 10 spots in the city to assess the civic body’s monsoon preparedness. Today, read what we found on chronic waterlogging spots on four roads Experts point to the sharp edges of asphalt, loose gravel on thre
MUMBAI: Motorists are likely to have a nightmarish experience while navigating the city roads this year as well if the findings of the pre-monsoon audit carried out by Hindustan Times along with three independent experts and civic officials are anything to go by.
An inspection of four chronic waterlogging spots – B A Road, Mahapalika Road, Chembur Circle or Paranjpole Junction, and S V Road – where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims to have paid much attention to make them monsoon-ready, has thrown a different picture.
It is significant to mention that on the second day of the pre-monsoon showers on Friday, waterlogging was reported in many parts of the city.
The overall maintenance of B A Road in Dadar TT is quite commendable. However, the experts have pointed to the junction of this road, which has been recently concretised, where loose gravel could pose a threat to vehicle users. D K Pathak, one of the experts, said, “The overall condition of the road is good. But there are certain portions where the surface is uneven. The asphalt passages indicate sharp ridges, while small potholes have been formed because of the haphazard execution of utility repair works.”
Civic officials, however, claimed that since a major portion of the junction was made of concrete the chances of having a large number of potholes would be less.
“On concrete roads, the surface is usually roughened by contractors who use asphalt and mastic to fill utility holes and trenches. We have already acted against those contractors who have not done the levelling of the road surface properly and the process of inspection is still on,” an official said.
Mahapalika Road, just outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, was not in a good state, the experts said. Due to the ongoing Metro construction works, the portions adjacent to this road are being dug up. “The wearing course is worn out with the aggregates exposed. A 50mm premix bitumen carpet must be laid and rolled,” said Charles Simoes, one of HT’S experts.
A civic official said the rough surface was caused by frequent patchwork.
The experts did not have a favourable opinion of Chembur Circle or Paranjpole Junction as well. Potholes and sharp edges of asphalt and concrete were pointed out by the experts.
Vidya Vaidya, who was one of the HT’S experts, said, “There are signs of damage on the surface of the road, which is mainly caused by heavy vehicles passing through this junction.”
A significant portion of S V Road seemed to have come off because of the ongoing Metro works.
Simoes said, “The junction with heavy traffic has many interruptions in the wearing course. Premix bitumen carpet of 50mm is recommended for the entire junction, and both north-bound and south-bound lanes.”
Located outside the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mahapalika Road is one of the busiest roads in Mumbai. It is also a chronic water logging spot during the rains. The intensity of flooding is more since metro construction work is also ongoing; several potholes have emerged on the roads.