Mumbai roads to be 'truly pothole-free' by May 31, vows Dy CM Shinde

Affirming his commitment to making Mumbai roads pothole-free, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the newly constructed roads would no longer require digging or repairs

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Mumbai city Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde has directed that all ongoing concrete road works under the city’s pothole-free project must be finished by May 31. 

 

He said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is currently working on about 400 kilometers of roads to ensure they are strong and pothole-free before the monsoon.

 

Shinde made it clear that there must be no compromise on quality. “From now on, poor-quality work will result in disqualification,” he said. He said the contractors who did not meet the standards have already been fined a total of ₹3.5 crore.

 

 

Inspection for quality check

 

According to a CNBC report, the inspection started at Bombay Hospital junction accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Shinde, who also visited RS Sapre Marg in C Ward, Jame Jamshed Road in Matunga, and Road No 21 in Chembur. Shinde was joined by Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and senior BMC officials.

 

Shinde said concrete roads are a long-term solution for Mumbai, and once built properly, these roads won’t need digging or repairs. “We are committed to making Mumbai truly pothole-free,” he said.

 

IIT-Bombay, an independent quality checker

 

To ensure quality, IIT-Bombay has been roped in as an independent quality checker. At the same time, BMC engineers are keeping a close watch on the work at each site. “Officials performing well will be recognised. Those delaying work will face action,” Shinde said.

 

He mentioned that roads should be made traffic-ready from junction to junction, even if minor work remains. To speed up the process and make repairs more effective, new methods like geo-polymer filling, infrared technology, micro surfacing, and mastic use have been suggested.

 

Aim for ‘US-like roads’ in two years

 

Earlier on March 25, 2025, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, had said that in the next two years, Indian roads will be better than roads in the US. He made this statement while speaking at the Times Drive Auto Summit and Awards 2025. 

 

Gadkari talked about the major improvements happening in India’s road infrastructure. He said, “I don't think there is any problem in the road sector. The changes this year and next year will be so significant that earlier I used to say our highway road network would match that of the US, but now I say that within two years, our highway network will be even better than the US.”

 

He also shared his hopes for India’s future in electric vehicles (EVs). According to him, India will go beyond the US in EV adoption and production within the next five years. This supports the ministry’s goal of building more modern and eco-friendly roads across the country.