BMC faces heat for using cold mix to repair potholes

MUMBAI: The standing committee meeting of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) witnessed noisy scenes on Wednesday as corporators lashed out at civic officials for their failure in filling potholes. During the one-and-a-half-hour discussion on potholes, the administration admitted that the civic body had used paver blocks, gravels and hot mix in some places depending on the availability of material with the contractors, and not just cold mix as promised earlier.

The BMC is relying on homemade cold mix for filling potholes. It claims that cold mix does not need heating up like the traditional asphalt hot mix, which is used for making roads.cold mix can be used during rains, sets in quickly and the road can be used immediately after repairs. However hot mix cannot be used during rains, needs a few hours to set in and affects traffic for a longer time.

Rejecting the adminstration’s claim, the corporators have unanimously called cold mix a failure. Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, admitted that in Bandra, Andheri, Bhandup and Mulund, the civic body is using paver blocks as there is no contractor available for these zones.

On material being used by contractors used to repair potholes, Singhal said, “Contractors have been asked to bring in their own material from their own plants. They are using both cold mix and hot mix depending on the nature of potholes.”

The corporators alleged that the material used by contractors is of low quality. Congress corporator Asif Zakaria said, “These contractors who have been appointed in each zone especially for potholes are using low quality material and some of them are using raw material from the plants of blacklisted contractors.”

BJP’S Manoj Kotak said, “We have had enough of experiments each year. Every time a new officer comes in and brings in a new concept with fancy names such as ‘Midas Touch’ and ‘Wonder Patch’, with no results.”

Shiv Sena’s Vishakha Raut urged the BMC replicated the technology used to repair Sea Link. During the repair period, it was shut for two days.

The corporators have agreed to visit the BMC’S asphalt plant in Worli on Saturday to check the technology.