Potholes fixed before Ganpati washed out by rain, traffic on Sion-Panvel highway hit

Navi Mumbai: Fresh potholes have surfaced on the Sion-Panvel highway following incessant rain over the last four days. Several commuters said they have a harrowing time negotiating the highway.
Before Ganeshotsav, potholes on this road had been fixed at several stretches using paver blocks and asphalt. This patchwork has been dislodged, leaving uneven stretches and causing vehicles to slow down, thereby congesting the highway.
More than 1.5 lakh vehicles, including multi-axle ones, ply daily along this vital link. Motorists said that breaking down of vehicles is regular on the Shirwane bridge at Turbhe and Uran Phata flyover, besides the 300mt stretch connecting SP road to the Thane -Belapur road.
A public works department official who requested anonymity said that they have been chasing the contractor to get to the work done. “Notices have failed to get the agency to act. In this case, we plan to initiate stern action against the contractor in a few days. In fact, on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, our entire machinery was on the spot to fix the problem,” said the official.
Motorists alleged that the work done prior to the Ganesh festival was “sub-standard”.
Activist Dilip Mahajan said that at most stretches, paver blocks sand and asphalt have washed away due to the rain over the last few days. “This has exposed the quality of patch work. Taxpayers’ money has been wasted due to frequent repairs,” he said.
Motorist Atmaram Shinde said it It takes around 2 hours to travel between Vashi and Kalamboli. “But our plight is not being addressed by the authorities,” said Shinde.