Mumbai: Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are locked in a controversy regarding the maintenance of 12 roads which were developed as part of the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP). The MMRDA has written a letter to BMC, requesting it to take charge of 12 of the 18 roads under MUIP, but the BMC wrote back expressing its inability to do so.
These 12 roads are: main Link Road, SV Road, Sion-Dharavi Link Road, Saki Vihar Road, Mahakali Caves Road, Marol-Maroshi Road, Sahar Airport Road, Dhaku Road (near Seepz), Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, extension of Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, N S Phadke Marg and Andheri-Kurla Road.
Dilip Kawathkar, joint project director (public relations), MMRDA, confirmed that the metropolitan authority had written the letter to BMC on September 17. However, DL Shinde, chief engineer (roads), told DNA that the corporation had written back expressing its inability to take over the roads. "We are already carrying out the day-to-day maintenance of these roads, including the cleaning as well as drainage systems. But before completely taking on this responsibility, we will have to conduct a detailed inspection of all roads. Also, the authority has a defect liability period of five years to maintain these roads. How can we accept their request in that case?" Shinde questioned.
MMRDA sources said the top brass had been pushing for MUIP to be shifted to BMC. Top officials were of the opinion that since the MMRDA is a regional planning authority, maintaining roads is not its responsibility, and since the BMC is a maintenance body, MMRDA should hand over the entire MUIP to it.
SR Nandargikar, MMRDA chief engineer and in charge of the roads project, was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
