Maharashtra Directs Civic Bodies to Repair Potholes Ahead of Ganeshotsav
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed all municipal corporations across the state to launch an immediate drive to make roads pothole-free ahead of the upcoming Ganeshotsav festival. Authorities have been asked to adopt modern technologies such as precast solutions and geopolymer techno-patches for monsoon road repairs.
Chairing a special review meeting on road conditions in major cities, Shinde instructed civic commissioners to prepare a time-bound programme focused on internal roads, major procession routes, immersion routes, and immersion ghats. He noted that multiple complaints regarding potholes had been received statewide and pointed out that the Bombay High Court had also issued directives to the government to execute urgent repairs.
Municipal commissioners were told to conduct personal field inspections rather than limiting their oversight to offices. Civic bodies must set up dedicated teams to locate potholes, publish dedicated helpline numbers, and promptly resolve complaints submitted through mobile applications. Authorities were also instructed to maintain a 24x7 repair mechanism during the festival and share before-and-after photographs of repaired stretches on social media.
Shinde imposed a ban on permitting any new road digging during the festival period. Other state agencies managing roads—including the Public Works Department, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority—have been asked to deploy dedicated maintenance teams. If roads under these agencies cause public inconvenience, local municipal corporations are authorized to carry out repairs at their own expense and recover the costs later.
Civic administrations were further directed to inspect overhead electrical wires along routes to prevent hazards, refrain from imposing unnecessary charges on Ganesh mandals, and ensure a simplified permission process.
Shinde announced that municipal corporations showing rapid and effective performance will receive special awards, while underperforming civic bodies will face scrutiny that could affect future government fund allocations.
