State to BMC: Fill potholes, keep complaint channels open

MUMBAI: Following recent Bombay high court directives, the state government has issued guidelines to all municipal corporations, including the BMC, to take measures to fill potholes and close open manholes in a time-bound manner.
The state urban development department has issued a circular stating that all municipal corporations should fill potholes within a stipulated period and ensure that the complaint-receiving system is operational 365 days a year.

It is the responsibility of the respective corporation, council or local body to keep roads and footpaths levelled and properly surfaced, stated the circular. Filling potholes and repairing gaps on roads should be done in a scientific manner, it added. It further stated that all authorities should display names, addresses and contact details of agencies handling digging assignments as well as the extent of completed tasks and the completion period.

Complaints should be received through various modes- written ones at designated centres and offices, dedicated toll-free numbers and websites, and cellphones. Civic bodies should put up barricades, instal lights and give out warnings about open manholes ahead for individuals who are visually impaired. Corporations should submit an action-taken report in three months to the court and the state on pothole complaints.