Mumbai Cong launches campaign to mock BMC on potholes

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam today launched a campaign to count the potholes in the city in an attempt to ridicule the civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The Congress leader alleged that the Shiv Sena-led BMC has "miserably failed" to deal with the potholes that have been responsible for death of four people in various accidents in the city and suburbs.

Nirupam and other workers of the party beat drums and played music near craters in suburban Sion as part of the "Aao Pothole Geeney" (Come, let's count potholes) campaign.

"I have launched this campaign against the backdrop of four deaths due to potholes in Mumbai in this rainy season and many more such deaths reported in the past few years," the Congress leader said.

He urged the citizens to click photographs of pothole-ridden roads and share them on mobile numbers provided by the BMC.

Nirupam also attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his statement in the Legislative Assembly that the number of craters is reduced this year in Mumbai.

"Fadnavis is lying blatantly in the Assembly saying that the (number of) potholes in Mumbai have been reduced. The grim reality is that most of the roads in Mumbai are filled with potholes. While Mumbaikars have been facing the wrath of flood since past few days, neither the BJP nor the Shiv Sena leaders are in Mumbai. The BMC commissioner simply said in the standing committee meeting (of the BMC) that everything in Mumbai is alright," Nirupam added.

Many streets in Mumbai remained under water earlier this week due to incessant rains.

As rains took a break yesterday and water receded, many potholes have resurfaced on the city roads.

In the latest death caused by potholes, a woman riding pillion on a motorcycle in Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district fell and came under wheels of a private bus.

In another incident, a 40-year-old man died after falling into a water-filled pothole in Ulhasnagar township.

Nirupam said the campaign would continue until the BMC fills most of the potholes in the city.

"CM @Dev_Fadnavis says number of potholes in Mumbai has reduced, well let's do a reality check, whatsapp pictures of potholes in your wards to the numbers given by the BMC. MRCC President @sanjaynirupam initiated a unique protest against potholes from Pratiksha Nagar," the Mumbai Congress said in a tweet.

Fadnavis had told the Lower House on Tuesday that the number of potholes in Mumbai during monsoon had come down drastically. He had also said that the civic body has started using an upgraded cold mix technology to fill potholes during rainy season.