Vasai-Virar potholes remain on several main and internal roads despite the municipal corporation planning Rs 25 crore for repairs and appointing 17 contractors before Ganeshotsav, leaving devotees to travel through damaged stretches during the festival rush, according to a report by Loksatta – Vasai-Virar.
The Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation had assured residents that roads would be repaired before the festival to provide relief from potholes. The repair programme was intended to cover main roads, internal roads and immersion routes. However, many potholes reportedly remained unchanged after Ganeshotsav began.
The festival has increased movement across the city, with residents travelling to visit relatives, friends and public Ganesh mandals. The damaged roads have made journeys difficult, particularly for two-wheeler riders who must manoeuvre around potholes. The report said this has increased the risk of accidents and slowed vehicle movement at several locations, contributing to traffic congestion.
Residents had repeatedly demanded road repairs ahead of the festival because of the expected increase in traffic and pedestrian movement. Following these demands, Mayor Ajiv Patil and the municipal administration said necessary repairs would be completed before Ganeshotsav. The civic body then planned an allocation of Rs 25 crore to fill potholes on roads used by residents and on immersion routes.
To complete the work within the available time, the corporation assigned road repair responsibilities to 17 contractors. The appointment was intended to ensure that repairs were completed before the festival and that residents would not have to negotiate damaged roads during the period of increased travel.
The report’s summary also referred to a municipal claim that 80 per cent of the work had been completed. Despite that claim, residents in several parts of Vasai-Virar continued to report potholes and said the expected improvement was not visible on the ground. The gap between the stated completion level and the condition of roads being used by residents has intensified public anger.
The immediate impact extends beyond inconvenience. Potholes can force two-wheelers to brake suddenly or change lanes, while slow-moving traffic can create bottlenecks on roads already carrying increased festival traffic. Immersion routes also require predictable access because they are used by processions, vehicles and emergency services during the festival period.
The report did not provide a contractor-wise breakdown, a list of completed stretches, details of repair standards or an updated municipal schedule for the remaining work. It also did not specify whether the corporation had issued penalties or corrective directions to contractors for unfinished repairs.
The municipal corporation’s pre-festival road repair programme and the remaining work on main roads, internal roads and immersion routes will determine whether residents receive the promised relief during the continuing festival movement.
