Mumbai Pothole Crisis Worsens Amid Heavy Rains; 442 New Potholes In Just 24 Hours

Mumbai’s persistent downpour since Friday has deepened the city’s long-standing pothole problem. In just 24 hours leading up to Wednesday evening, 442 new potholes were identified across various parts of the city. According to civic data, the city has logged a staggering 10,803 pothole-related complaints between June 1 and August 20. Of these, 3,356 complaints were reported in just the last 20 days. 

Real-Time Monitoring

Citizens have been voicing their grievances through multiple channels including social media, the BMC disaster management helpline 1916, and the ‘My Pothole Quick Fix’ mobile app, which was launched in June. The mobile app has become the primary outlet for complaints, accounting for 9,110 reports so far. In a bid to boost accountability and transparency, the BMC has also launched a live dashboard that allows users to track the status of pothole complaints in real time. However, with several low-lying areas submerged due to ongoing rains, already-damaged roads have further deteriorated, raising concerns over the pace and effectiveness of repairs.

Civic data reveals that the S Ward, which covers Powai and Bhandup, has been the hardest hit, recording 1,880 complaints as of August 20. Of these, the BMC claims to have resolved 1,226. The K-West Ward (Andheri, Juhu, Oshiwara) follows with 1,042 complaints, while the N Ward (Ghatkopar) and T Ward (Mulund) recorded 921 and 757 complaints respectively. At the other end, A Ward (Colaba, Fort) and B Ward (Dongri) have seen relatively fewer issues, with fewer than 100 pothole complaints each making them the least affected zones in the city.

Immediate Measures

However, civic officials revealed that not all complaints were directly related to potholes. Of the total received, 2,846 were deemed invalid or unrelated, 754 fell under the jurisdiction of other agencies, and 79 were reopened cases. So far, the BMC claims to have resolved 9,212 complaints, while 1,591 remain pending. To manage the crisis on the ground, each of Mumbai’s 227 wards has a designated road engineer responsible for inspecting 10–15 km of road daily. "Potholes tend to become more visible after episodes of extreme rain. We are ensuring that all identified potholes are filled within 24 to 48 hours,” said a senior civic official. 

He further added, “As soon as we get relief from heavy rain, a special drive will be taken before Ganeshotsav to identify and fill all the potholes across the city.”

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Concretisation Project

To address recurring road damage, especially on asphalt and paver-block roads that have not yet been concretised, the BMC has allocated Rs. 154 crore for repair work this year — a reduction from Rs. 205 crore in 2024. Of Mumbai’s 2,050 km road network, 1,333 km have already been concretised. The remaining 700 km will be upgraded under a Rs. 17,000 crore mega concretisation project. Phase I will cover 320 km across 700 roads, while Phase II will take on 378 km across 1,421 roads. By May 31, the civic body had completed 49% of the road concretisation work. The remaining work is scheduled to resume in October, after the monsoon season.