December 2nd 2025.
The city of Mumbai has been in the news lately due to a concerning issue – the number of deaths caused by potholes. The Bombay High Court has taken notice of this and has issued notices to the Maharashtra government, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Public Works Department (PWD), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and the Traffic Police. This comes after a news report by The Free Press Journal highlighted the poor condition of roads in Thane, especially the Ghodbunder Road where an 11-hour traffic jam recently occurred.
Advocate Ruju Thakkar filed an application before the court, which is already hearing a contempt plea regarding non-compliance with earlier High Court orders on the issue. During the hearing, the TMC claimed that there have been no deaths due to potholes in Thane. However, the FPJ report cited by Thakkar states otherwise – it mentions that 18 people have lost their lives on the city's roads between January and October 2025 due to pothole-related mishaps.
The court, after perusing the report and photographs, observed that repair and construction work is being carried out without any barricades, which is extremely unsafe. Justice Revati Mohite-Dere even shared a personal experience of how difficult it is to travel on the roads near Bhayander, where the Maharashtra Judicial Academy is located. The situation on Ghodbunder Road was deemed "terrible" by the bench, and they called for the government to expedite the repair work and take necessary action.
Thakkar's application also seeks compensation for the families of the victims and an inquiry into why potholes are reappearing within a month of repairs. The court has previously warned against jurisdictional disputes over compensation payments and has urged authorities to expedite the process.
The Ghodbunder Road, which falls under multiple agencies such as TMC, PWD, and MMRDA, has been a site of chaos and confusion due to lack of coordination among these departments. This has resulted in multiple works being carried out simultaneously on the same stretch, leading to massive traffic jams. The issue came to light when a 16-month-old toddler died after being stuck in a six-hour-long traffic jam while being rushed to the hospital. Another incident involved a 49-year-old woman who lost her life due to a traffic jam delaying her ambulance en route to the hospital.
In light of these incidents, the High Court has ordered for expedited work and has listed the matter for further hearing on December 15. The court hopes that this will serve as a wake-up call for all municipal corporations to ensure timely and proper road maintenance. For those looking for property deals in Mumbai and surrounding regions, The Free Press Journal also provides exclusive and budget-friendly options on their website.
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