This refers to the editorial, “Pothole of corruption” (July 27). India's commercial capital Mumbai is an example on how a ‘maximum city’ can be reduced to one heck of a mess due to civic maladministration. Utter unpreparedness of the city's municipal corporation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is abominable. Radio jockey Malishka Mendonsa was mocked at by the BMC when she highlighted the potholes in a satirical style. But the same BMC went deadpan when reports of pothole-related accidents emanated from different parts of the city and its unresponsiveness to trimming of trees resulted in the death of a walker. Similarly, a woman biker was killed as she swerved to avoid a pothole near Palghar district, about 70km from Mumbai.
Unscientific construction and lackadaisical maintenance have converted roads into potholes not just in Mumbai but across India. It is common knowledge that roads have to be laid out in dry weather well ahead of the arrival of monsoon. They have to go through proper standard specifications and supervision. Potholes near manholes and drains need special attention. The BMC says it has spent ‘crores of rupees’ in repairing the potholes. Obviously, huge chunk of money is getting ‘drained’ elsewhere. The story is the same everywhere in India. It’s time to stem the rot by breaking the unholy politician-road contractors-civic official nexus.