Bhiwandi roads crumble after three days of rain raising questions over civic works

Just three days of relentless monsoon rain have left several recently resurfaced roads in Bhiwandi crumbled and riddled with dangerous potholes, sparking public anger over the quality of civic works worth ₹10 crore. Stretches including the road connecting the ST Stand, the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation headquarters, and Old Agra Road have deteriorated rapidly, causing frequent accidents and severe traffic congestion.

Other badly damaged stretches in the area include Nashik Road, the Bagh-e-Firdous–Vanjarpatti Naka stretch, Kalyan Road, and Anjur Phata. In many places, the asphalt layer has been completely washed away, leaving deep craters that pose a major safety hazard, particularly to two-wheeler riders who have suffered frequent injuries.

Municipal Corporator and Standing Committee member Faraz Bahauddin Baba questioned the quality of the road works undertaken by the civic body. He claimed that nearly ₹10 crore was spent between April and June on road resurfacing and repairs, yet the roads deteriorated after the first heavy showers.

Baba also alleged that the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation failed to earmark a dedicated emergency fund for monsoon pothole repairs this year. He demanded an independent quality audit of all recently executed road projects and called for strict action against contractors and officials responsible for substandard work.

In response, City Engineer Jameel Patel stated that the civic body had earmarked nearly ₹10 crore for road repairs during the current financial year, of which resurfacing works worth approximately ₹6 crore had been completed.

Patel refrained from commenting on the quality allegations but said temporary repairs using grit powder and crushed stone had commenced. He added that the administration is preparing a separate proposal for monsoon road repairs to launch a large-scale drive once financial approvals are obtained.