Potholes on Mumbai Roads

Well, Amchi Mumbai is not just know for its Victorian buildings, its legendary cricket lineage, the Bombay Stock Market and as the ‘financial capital of India’ but it is also famous, or rather infamous for its notorious potholes. Yes, potholes in Mumbai have had their fare share of media coverage and have often been the topic of debates in the national news rooms. While on the one hand successive government have pledged huge amounts in their budget to fill these Bombay potholes, they have been notorious for their re-emergence just before the Mumbai rains every year to cause a havoc.

While Mumbai potholes have given rise to many jokes and been major contributors in many a comedy acts, on a serious note, these potholes on the roads of Mumbai have been a cause of serious concerns for jeopardizing the rides of vehicles, especially bikers, and have caused many road accidents. In fact, there have been news of people being killed in accidents caused by some of the huge potholes on Mumbai’s roads and the casualties include not just vehicle riders but also pedestrians.

While there have been scores of debates on TV Channels on potholes and politicians and political parties have indulged in blame games, corrupt road contractors accused of rampant corruption in Mumbai have only been going Scott Free.

NASA’s Hubble telescope mistaking potholes in Mumbai for a black hole is of course a bit too farfetched, but they have surely punched seriously dark holes in the reputation and image of India as a developing country and on the reputation of Mumbai as the financial capital of India, and on Mumbai as international city.

Will anyone show the vision and the foresight to include potholes in Mumbai and indeed on Indian roads as one of the things that need to be swept off in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan before they become known the world over as products of Make in India!