A recent survey by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) public works department has highlighted the alarming state on the city’s roads. Out of 451 tar roads surveyed, it was found that those maintained by NMC are plagued with potholes, posing hazards for drivers and causing widespread frustration among residents.
The survey revealed a total of 714 potholes on roads maintained by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) reported 218 potholes across 49 roads, while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had 20 potholes on just 11 of its roads. The state’s Public Works Department (PWD) had 16 potholes on three roads, and MahaMetro’s single road had one pothole. Additionally, seven potholes were found on roads managed by three other local agencies.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is under increasing public scrutiny due to the poor condition of its roads. Since July 8, NMC reports having repaired 2,298 potholes across the city, but many roads are still in disrepair. Motorists, particularly those on two-wheelers, continue to face serious hazards from the pothole-filled streets, heightening fears of accidents and injuries.
Dharampeth emerged as the worst-hit area, with the NMC’s hotmix department and Jet Patcher technology repairing 504 potholes there. Despite these efforts, many roads in the zone remain dangerous for motorists. In Lakadganj zone, 271 potholes have been repaired, while Mangalwari zone saw 266 potholes patched up. Hanuman Nagar had 84 potholes fixed, and Dhantoli zone managed to address all 227 potholes with the help of the NMC’s hotmix department.
A detailed review of the NMC’s zone-wise pothole repairs shows that Laxmi Nagar had 224 potholes recorded and repaired. Nehru Nagar followed with 197 potholes patched. Gandhibagh zone had 114 potholes fixed, while Ashi Nagar reported 230 potholes addressed.
Satranjipura was another severely affected area, where 266 potholes were repaired. Despite these efforts, many citizens believe that the NMC’s measures have fallen short of addressing the full extent of the problem. Potholes continue to trouble roads, causing significant inconvenience and raising safety concerns. Residents across various areas have called on the NMC to speed up repairs and implement more effective, long-term solutions. The danger from these potholes extends beyond vehicle damage; there have been numerous accidents involving both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, including on busy roads and flyovers like MahaMetro’s double-decker Wardha Road flyover. These incidents have sparked doubts about the quality of the repairs and the overall effectiveness of the current approach.