[2L8uLoose]

Stolen from www.mid-day.com
Sorry I could NOT resist posting this..
According to the BMC's new diktat, private contractors have only 25 days to fill 1,123 potholes across the city — before Ganesh Chaturthi begins on August 27. The task, however, seems impossible, as potholes cannot be filled during the monsoon. Officials from the BMC's roads department too are sceptical about the completion before the deadline.
"The contractors will have to comply. If they don't, action will be taken against them," said Mohan Kadam, chief engineer, roads department (BMC).
The 1,123 potholes are just random figures from the BMC. For instance, the MMRDA has identified over a kilometre of bad patches on the Western Express Highway and about 300 metres of bad patches on the Eastern Express highway alone.
With only 25 days in hand, BMC officials and contractors are working overtime. "We are concentrating on filling up the bad patches. Everything else has taken a backseat," said Kadam.
Distant dream
This difficulty has also quashed the BMC's dream of obtaining ISO certification for the city's roads. Last year, the BMC had planned to make all roads in the city as per ISO 9000 standards. This meant the roads would be smoother, would have suitable drainage and sewerage system, adequate lighting, street furniture like benches, and paved footpaths.
"Not a single road in the city qualifies for the certification. While some do not have an adequate drainage system, some have used poor quality materials," said an official from BMC's road department.
Last year 23,639 potholes were filled at the cost of Rs 16.48 crore. This year over Rs 36 crore has been earmarked for repairs on asphalt roads by the BMC.
New technology
Meanwhile, the BMC's roads department plans to purchase German machinery, costing over Rs 8 crore, by the end of the year to solve the issue of potholes. "This machine will help mix the ingredients in the right quantities and then lay the pavers at 2,000 sq metres a day instead of the current 110 sq metres," added Kadam.
If implemented, it could be the closest Mumbai gets to having ISO certified roads.

Rs 36 crore
The amount earmarked for repairs of asphalt roads by the BMC this year

23,369
The number of potholes filled last year at a cost of Rs 16.48 crore

[amit]

23,369
The number of potholes filled last year

I have always wondered how does the BMC manage to count the potholes with such accuracy every year?! And if they are so efficient, why can't they use that to make smooth pothole free roads?

Meanwhile, the BMC's roads department plans to purchase German machinery, costing over Rs 8 crore

German machine will not solve corruption which is the root cause of poor roads. Become honest and be proud of your work and country and you will not need any german machine to make smooth roads.

As for the ISO 9000 stuff, BMC is already ISO certified in corruption!

[condor]

For a moment I read BMC as Bangalore BMC - instead of aamchi Mumbai's BMC. But the story seems no different either way. Got to admire the accuracy and the fact that there are only 1123 pot-holes in the whole of the city ..

[2L8uLoose]

Amit/Condor.. you guys JUST DONT GET IT!
The BMC (aamchi MUMBAI WALLA) hires the banks of supercomputers that IBM and Oracle et all have to accurately calculate the number of potholes every year.. hence we pay the road taxes!!
The German machines might not help to stop the corruption or to fill up the potholes but it will make them all very effecient in the art of taking Bribes!

[meerkat]

Originally Posted by condor

For a moment I read BMC as Bangalore BMC - instead of aamchi Mumbai's BMC. But the story seems no different either way. ..

Well, apparently there are differences, if we're to believe the following statement about Mumbai roads :

" .... While some do not have an adequate drainage system ..."

Bangalore roads seem to have NO designed-in drainage system at all !
It takes just 10 minutes of moderate rain to have a city full of rivers and ponds !