The BMC Has Charged Contractors A Paltry Penalty For The Inconvenience Mumbaikars Have Faced On Potholed Roads

CONTRACTORS FINED JUST 68,200

Soon after BMC chief Subodh Kumar addressed the civic house on Friday on potholes this monsoon, the BMC attempted to show on Saturday that it has cracked the whip on errant road contractors. Details from the roads department show that Rs 68,200 has been collected in fines from the contractors till Thursday. 

    However, sources said this amount was collected from around just six to seven contractors. This means that an average of Rs 10,000 to Rs 11,000 could have been collected per contractor. Sources said the average potholing contract in the city goes for Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore. 
    According to BMC officials, before appearing in the civic house on Friday, the municipal commissioner had already passed instructions that stringent action should be taken against erring contractors. "We agree that we have been a little slow in taking action against contractors. But we are imposing fines and every ward has been informed to do the needful. If the contract provisions are violated, we will certainly take action against contractors," said a senior official in the roads department. 
    According to the contract rules, a fine of Rs 1,000 per spot per day is levied if the contractor fails to attend to a pothole within 24 hours. The fine grows as long as the stretch is not attended to by the contractor. 
    Officials said that the premonsoon penalty is much higher, starting from a minimum of Rs 50,000 per spot per day. In 2006, 12 of the 24 wards' contractors were given fines ranging from Rs 3,500 to Rs 2 lakh for shoddy work and delays in filling potholes. 
Many citizens, irate with the roads they have had to put up with this monsoon, criticized the punishment given to the contractors. Most have said that it's too little for inconsiderateness of this magnitude. "Is this a joke? We spend a huge amount on paying taxes and they are fined a paltry amount of Rs 1,000 per spot per day? They are simply making a mockery of our suffering. Why can't the municipal corporation learn lessons from other countries? It's time they get serious about something they are paid for," said Oshiwara resident Twisha Deb.
The municipal corporation's delayed action against contractors has given political parties, like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, an opportunity to threaten that they will take the law into their own hands. The party has threatened that it will take action against contractors if the administration fails to do so. The party recently reprimanded two contractors in Dadar and Mahim for shoddy work. 
YOUR REACTIONS FROM 'THE TIMES OF INDIA' FACEBOOK PAGE 
wow... insane bmc... it's like saying.... only 100 backs were broken as compared to 200 last year :S 
    — Glen Mendonca 
how often do you travel, Mr BMC chief ?? 
    — Vagesh Prasad 
Is THIS supposed to be their defence? That we still have 2,800 pothole stretches? So the number of bomb explosions were lesser this time as compared to last time... i suppose we should be thankful for that too.... 
    — Apoorv Misra 
If this is the sorry state of roads in a city like Mumbai, then I wonder how much worse it would be in the rural parts.. Every year it's all false promises and the same result everytime.. Seriously, shame on the BMC..!! 
    — Pannkaj Kapoor It's like saying we have at least our pants on this year!! Last year, you see, we were completely... well... naked!!! Shameless people!! 
    — Ninad Dhairyawan 
What is the use of giving this much money as tax. we should stop paying taxes. sab sidhe ho jaenge 
    — Nidhi Bhatt 
Mumbai roads are a testament to Ford's decision and announcement of putting 5,000 jobs in Gujarat. It's been said that less than 25% of the issued contract materials make it to the actual job sites. Continue to accept this level of infrastructure and your neighbours will be globally known for building Fords & Nanos, and Mumbaikars will be known for building boats. Who's laughing now? 
    — Rick Cran 
It's sick!! when i ride my activa through these pot holes because of traffic, you can't even change paths :( and i am so scared as my activa will fall sticking in one of the potholes:(( please try filling those potholes, especially near goregoan :( aarey road is worst for commuters :( 
    — Preeyaa Mishra 
This yearly pothole issue is a very big multi-crore business between the administration, the contractors and the babus and netas. After all, there is a lot of money to be made and it's the "Mumbai Manoos" who suffers. where are the political parties that have the war cry "Mumbai Amchi"? what are they doing now or is it a very well-oiled operation? 
    — Gordon Jacobs 
every year they say they are cracking the whip. what is this a Joke? 
    — Leslie Almeida 
2,800 pot holes!! Not possible, they have missed a "zero" for sure. The financial capital of the 2nd fastest moving economy of the world cannot even offer proper roads, forget other amenities 
    — Adit Ahuja 
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    page of 'The Times of India' Times View Fining half-a-dozen contractors Rs 68,200 for the shoddy job done on Mumbai's roads is a cruel joke; and the joke is on millions of Mumbaikars who use these roads every day. The "punishment" is a poor reflection of the BMC's sense of judgment, and to call it lenient – given the state of Mumbai's roads – would be an understatement. The punishment should have been exemplary, like blacklisting the contractor, and not a monetary fine that is an embarrassing fraction of the money that contractors make at the taxpaying citizen's expense. Sena men thrash MSRDC officials 
Thane: Shiv Sena activists led by local MLA Eknath Shinde roughed up officials of the state-owned MSRDC and a private contractor for delay in completing work on the three flyovers on Ghodbunder Road, which has become a motorists'nightmare due to frequent car crashes and traffic woes. 
    The Sena men allegedly resorted to "strong-arm tactics" during an on-site meeting with MSRDC executive engineer B Mali and Desai, project manager of Walecha construction company, building the three flyovers at Manpada, Hiranandani-Patlipada and Waghbil junctions. 
    Shinde, who was accompanied by mayor Ashok Vaity and MLAs Rajan Vichare and Pratap Sarnaik, sought an explanation from the officials for delay in the projects which were scheduled for completion in January 2011. 
    "The work orders for the three flyovers were issued in July 2009 and the project was to be thrown open to the public in January 2001. Till date, however, they have managed to install just the concrete pillars and going by their pace it would take two more years for completion. Till then this highway would be turned into a death-trap for motorists," Shinde said. 
    He added that the lack of coordination and multiplicity of agencies involved in the project has created bottlenecks rather than speeding up the work. 
    "The MSRDC claims that the design for the flyover was not sanctioned which caused the delay. I have now given them an ultimatum to ensure that the work is finished by December 2011. The citizens cannot be made to suffer for years because of the bureaucracy and contractors' faults," the Sena MLA said. 
    MSRDC officials were unavailable for comment.

TRACKING MUMBAI'S BUMPY RIDE: TOI reported on July 20 that Mumbai has 7,500 potholes on 1,100 bad stretches

Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde (right) and party workers rough up a contractor for delay in work on flyovers on Ghodbunder Road