BMC's responsibility to ensure motorable roads in Mumbai: HC on accidents due to potholes

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday said it cannot keep monitoring every road accident caused due to potholes and ultimately it is the city civic body's responsibility to ensure motorable roads and pedestrian-friendly footpaths.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor also noted that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed to have spent Rs 273 crore on the filling of potholes last monsoon but the condition of roads continues to remain poor.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakker, seeking contempt action against the civic authorities for failing to implement the HC orders of 2018 directing for the repair of potholes along all arterial roads in Mumbai and neighbouring areas.

Thakker has been pointing out to the bench since last year several instances of motorists losing their lives following accidents due to potholes.

"Monitoring every single road accident and pothole is becoming difficult. Ultimately it is their (BMC) responsibility," CJ Upadhyaya said.

The HC said as per the affidavit submitted by the BMC on Monday, Rs 273 crore was spent last monsoon for the filling of potholes but still the condition of roads was poor.

BMC counsel Anil Sakhare told the court that the city roads are being concretised and this should solve the problems of potholes.

As per the BMC affidavit, of the total 2,050 km roads in the city, 1,224 km roads have been concretised and work on 356 km is in progress.

The HC bench said it would hear the matter further on April 15.