Mumbai’s promise of pothole-free roads ahead of Ganeshotsav has once again collapsed under the weight of reality, with major arterial stretches still scarred by craters. Despite repeated assurances from civic officials that smooth passage would be ensured before the state festival, commuters and procession organisers are staring at uneven, dangerous roads on the eve of celebrations.
Several neighbourhoods, including Andheri, Juhu, Sion Koliwada and Vikhroli, continue to grapple with battered stretches. For Ganesh mandals that rely on processional routes, the uneven surfaces have raised serious concerns over public safety and cultural spirit. What was intended to be a showcase of civic preparedness has instead revealed the fragile state of Mumbai’s road network.
The monsoon has only magnified the crisis. Between August 1 and August 22, civic records confirm that more than 4,000 fresh potholes emerged across the city, adding to a tally of nearly 8,000 complaints lodged by residents this season. For daily commuters, these numbers translate into cracked suspensions, slower travel and heightened stress. For community organisers, the risks extend to thousands of devotees walking alongside towering idols on waterlogged, uneven surfaces.
Experts say that the city’s pothole crisis is more than just poor patchwork. It reflects an infrastructure model that fails to incorporate long-term sustainability and climate resilience. With Mumbai already grappling with rising monsoon unpredictability, road engineering that ignores eco-friendly materials and water-sensitive design only deepens the cycle of deterioration. “Year after year, temporary fillings are deployed, but the problem resurfaces with every spell of rain. Without adopting green road technologies, this remains an annual ordeal,” said an infrastructure expert.
The civic body has defended its work, claiming that intensified repair drives were rolled out last weekend with additional filling crews deployed across hotspots. Officials maintain that unexpected spells of heavy rainfall slowed progress, leaving repair timelines behind schedule. However, such explanations have failed to reassure citizens who view the recurring pothole saga as a governance failure rather than a weather-related inconvenience.
This year’s Ganeshotsav, declared a Rajya Mahotsav or state festival, was meant to be a moment of pride and grandeur for Mumbai. Instead, road conditions threaten to undermine both mobility and the festive mood. The civic body now faces not only the immediate challenge of enabling safe festival processions but also the larger imperative of transforming road management practices to align with sustainable, carbon-neutral goals.As the city prepares to welcome Lord Ganesh, citizens are demanding not just spiritual blessings but also practical solutions smoother roads, greener infrastructure and a civic system that treats sustainable urban mobility as a priority rather than a seasonal promise.
Mumbai roads remain riddled with potholes despite Ganeshotsav readiness claims
