Mumbai: In order to ensure smooth, pothole-free rides for mandals during Ganesh immersions, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will use one of the most expensive methods to fill potholes.
It will use the rapid hardening concrete method which takes six hours to settle down after which traffic can be opened.
P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner, (projects) supervised some sites on Saturday. It was decided after deliberation that as a special drive for Ganesh immersions, Rapid Hardening Concrete method will be used for filling potholes. This method is the most expensive technique that costs ₹23,000 per cubic metre.
A portion of the slab of the road is cut and filled with concrete and to do so, skilled labourers are required, according to a civic official.
The BMC has already used this method for 696 sq metres of road in the island city, 560 sq metres of road for western suburbs and 957 sq metres of the road for eastern suburbs.
A total of 2,213 sq metres of roads with potholes have been filled using rapid hardening concrete methods.
On August 25, BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal directed the road and bridges department officials to inspect and fill potholes along the procession route before Ganeshotsav.
Considering the complaints of Sarvajanik (public) Ganeshotsav mandals, he had also instructed that an independent coordinating officer be appointed in all the 24 administrative wards in the city.
The meeting held by the civic chief Chahal was also attended by the BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra, additional commissioners Ashwini Bhide, P Velrasu and Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Mumbai police and Navy personnel, Brihanmumbai Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BGSS) members and representatives of Ganesha idol makers.