Rds dug up all around, Dadar locals ask how do we step out | Mumbai News

Mumbai: For the past two to three weeks, many residents of Jame Jamshed Road in Dadar Parsi Colony have been blocked in by various civic infrastructure works, including road concretisation. Multiple roads and footpaths have been dug up to such an extent that neither can they take their vehicles out of the buildings nor can they walk safely outside without risking life and limb.
Complaining about the slow pace of the projects, residents alleged that BMC contractors and officials carry out the work intermittently and for “just about an hour” on most days. They said at one of the spots, the footpath and the road adjoining a building have developed a depression.
“We are not opposed to civic works, but they should be carried out with proper planning and procedures and within a time frame. For the last two to three weeks, the roads and the footpaths have been dug up, and we cannot take our vehicles outside from one of the building gates. They have dug up the roads to lay pipelines and have left various kinds of construction material on the footpaths. In some places, they have dug up the footpaths, too,” said Rustom, a resident.
Another local, Kashmira Pastakia, said the works particularly pose a danger to the elderly. “There are many senior citizens living in the colony, and we keep hearing of people twisting their legs. Besides, some of the lanes are very narrow. Work is progressing very slowly. What we need is better planning. BMC should carry out work in sections.”
Pointing out that major infrastructure projects take time and can cause problems, another resident said, “Residents will have to bear with such works. To avoid inconvenience, BMC can put up ramps.”
Earlier, residents had demanded that BMC construct footpaths with the higher grade M40 concrete and not carry out stamp concreting. According to the residents, the footpaths were constructed with M20 grade concrete, which is then stamped and given a pink pigmentation. The stamping leads to formation of crevices, which get filled with moss and algae during monsoon, making them slippery and dangerous. The residents suggested that BMC consider using a ‘brooming finish’ for better durability and compatibility, besides ensuring a clear and safe pathway.
BMC F-North ward officer Prithviraj Chauhan was not available for a comment.