As criticism mounted over alleged potholes on the newly built Pune-Mumbai Expressway, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday defended the project, insisting that there were “only two potholes” on the stretch.
Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis also urged people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune-Nashik belt to avoid non-essential travel and strictly follow official weather warnings, as heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms is expected to continue till July 6, according to a PTI report.
The Regional Meteorological Center of the India Meteorological Department has forecast extremely heavy rains, thunderstorms and much higher than normal rainfall across the region until July 6.
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“Only two holes”: Maha CM
Responding to criticism on social media over the expressway connectivity link between Pune and Mumbai, Fadnavis rejected allegations that the road had led to widespread potholes.
“There are only two potholes,” he said, adding that it was “not true” to claim that the road had deteriorated, and expressed his regret that some people were exaggerating the problem without understanding the construction process.
The chief minister also said that the state government issues regular weather alerts, sends SMS to residents every three hours, and disseminates warnings through multiple channels, the report added.
“We have asked people to avoid traveling if possible so that accidents caused by heavy rains and storms can be prevented. Citizens should follow official advisories and only go out in accordance with warnings.
He said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the State Disaster Management Cell are closely monitoring the situation.
Read also | The IMD has put Mumbai on red alert with ‘heavy to very heavy’ rain expected in the next 24 hours.
“It will be checked and repaired”: Fadnavis.
Explaining the engineering process, Fadnavis said that the newly completed roads undergo durability tests during the monsoon, while the final layer of work is laid after the rainy season. He said that any deficiencies identified during this stage will be corrected.
“The mastic asphalt placed on new bridges initially settles before working as intended. Newly completed infrastructure also requires a settling period,” he said, adding that constructive criticism was welcome.
The Prime Minister said any genuine shortcomings reported to the government, including those highlighted on social media, would be examined and fixed.
Highlighting the work of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on the project, Fadnavis said it includes some of the largest bridges in the country and India’s first tunnel to be built under a dam.
“Such engineering achievements should also be recognized while ensuring that any shortcomings are addressed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a red alert for Mumbai, warning of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places during the day. Several parts of the city witnessed rainfall exceeding 100 mm during the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
According to civic authorities, Thane recorded 65.79 mm rainfall between 8.30 am and 1.30 pm on Saturday, taking its seasonal total to 829.84 mm. During the same period, Palghar city received 97.70 mm, bringing the average seasonal rainfall to 643.10 mm.
(Inputs from PTI)
