Mumbai proposes asphalting minor roads over concrete

Mumbai is facing concerns about the quality of road construction in the city. The state government is investigating claims of irregularities in a major road project costing Rs 6,632 crore. Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar recently suggested that minor roads should be asphalted instead of concreted to improve quality. During a meeting with over 20 MLAs and BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that all ongoing road construction must be finished by May 31. Many MLAs expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation, emphasizing the need for better materials and monitoring. Suggestions included using mastic asphalt for minor roads and appointing a nodal officer in each ward to oversee progress. Stricter penalties for contractors who do not meet standards were also proposed. Narwekar mentioned that a review of these suggestions will take place on April 25. Several MLAs raised concerns about the negative impact of road work on residents. For example, utility lines have been damaged during the concreting process, leading to outages for electricity and water. Some MLAs, including Aaditya Thackeray and Ashish Shelar, called for an immediate halt to the concretization of minor roads. Moreover, Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha reported that local road department engineers have become frustrated, as contractors often ignore their instructions.