The Watchdog Foundation has launched a 'Get Well Soon' citizen campaign against potholes to protest the sorry state of Mumbai roads by contractors without supervision by the civic administration.
Watchdog Foundation has initiated the novel protest of sending 'Get Well Soon' cards to BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal to make the civic officials wake up to the menace of potholes causing dangers to motorists and bikers on Mumbai roads.
“It has been brought to our notice that many potholes have surfaced all over Mumbai during the recent monsoon spell and the prime reason for this mess is sub-standard material being used in road construction/road repairs, without any supervision by any responsible BMC officials,” rues Nicholas Almeida of Watchdog Foundation.
The citizens' initiative has questioned the BMC administration's helplessness against the cartel of corrupt contractors making shoddy roads that wash away at the first showers of monsoon.
“Is there a dearth of qualified contractors in this city that BMC is acting like a hapless body even at the cost of awarding the tenders to the Contractors who have taken the Municipal Corporation for a ride,” says Adv. Godfrey Pimenta, Watchdog Foundation trustee.
The Watchdog foundation members have demanded an end to favouritism shown to tainted contractors and asked Mumbaikars to join the 'Get Well Soon Campaign' by sending the protest post cards to the civic authorities.
“If no qualified bids are received we suggest that road contracts be awarded to reputed contractors even if it meant awarding contracts at higher costs for the aforesaid works internationally. We hope the BMC Administration will act in the larger public interest and not be a mute spectator to this wastage of public money every year,” says Nicholas Almeida.
The citizen group monitoring public utilities and services wants the BMC officials to file criminal complaints against the contractors for shoddy work causing potholes and accidents. “We hope to expect the same courage and determination on the part of BMC to rise above the call of duty and take a decision in the public interest. We demand to know from the officials on the total cases in which FIRs were filed against the corrupt contractors for using sub-standard materials,” said Adv. Tulip Brian Miranda, Watchdog Foundation president.
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