Bombay High Courts Asks BMC Why Roads are Not Repaired Despite Busy Schedule

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) why the city's roads are not being repaired and questioned the civic body's inefficiency in balancing it with election work and the Maratha reservation survey. Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyay and Justice Arif Doctor questioned the BMC's inaction. 

The court expressed its displeasure after the BMC failed to submit an affidavit in response to a petition filed by lawyer Ruju Thakkar, who has sought direction to the BMC to improve the condition of the city's roads after a death was reported due to potholes. 

The court had directed the BMC to submit the affidavit in December, but the civic body has not done so yet. On Tuesday, the BMC's lawyer sought more time to submit the affidavit, saying that most of the civic body's staff is busy with the Maratha reservation survey or election work.

"You are giving this excuse? Then should we close the roads in Mumbai? Some people are working on the election and some are doing the survey for Maratha reservation, what is going on?" the court asked.

The court directed the BMC to submit the affidavit by February 15. It also directed the BMC to provide information about when the concretization of Mumbai's roads will be completed.