Why Did Navi Mumbai’s “Planned” Roads Crumble Again in Monsoon?
Published 14 Sep 2025, 2:03 PM IST
The monsoon has passed, but its scars remain etched across Navi Mumbai’s roads. For a city that proudly wears the tag of a “planned urban hub,” the sight is all too familiar, freshly repaired stretches turning into craters within weeks of the first showers. Despite crores spent on pre-monsoon works, the annual cycle of potholes has returned, this time with citizens arming themselves with geotagged proof and demanding real accountability.
Key Points
- Citizen Evidence Submitted: Navi Mumbai resident groups have formally submitted photos and videos to the NMMC Commissioner, showing how road repairs carried out just before the rains disintegrated almost instantly.
- Systemic Failures Identified: Experts and activists highlight a predictable cycle, substandard bitumen, improper trench restoration by utility contractors, and poor drainage that causes waterlogging and weakens the road base.
- Questioning the Cost: Despite the NMMC’s significant yearly spend on road works, the same problem repeats. Citizens are raising tough questions on tender processes, contractor accountability, and the lack of strict quality checks.
- Jurisdictional Blame Game: In developing nodes, especially Ulwe and Dronagiri, confusion over whether CIDCO or NMMC is responsible continues to delay maintenance, leaving residents caught in the middle.
Impact on Navi Mumbai
The collapse of road infrastructure is more than just a nuisance, it directly affects safety, the economy, and public trust.
Residents describe post-monsoon driving as an obstacle course, with two-wheeler riders particularly vulnerable. Travel times have risen sharply, and damage to suspensions and tires is now routine.
The so-called “pothole tax” forces citizens to shell out thousands on vehicle repairs. At the same time, poor roads dent Navi Mumbai’s image as a modern, business-friendly city.
For a city that prides itself on being well-planned, the repeated collapse of basic road infrastructure exposes glaring lapses. Each year of inaction erodes trust in civic authorities and their ability to hold contractors responsible.
Anatomy of a Crumbling Road
This year, frustration has shifted into evidence-based action. Here’s what citizens and experts have found.
1. The “Disappearing” Pre-Monsoon Repairs
The Navi Mumbai Active Citizens Forum documented how asphalt patches laid in May 2025 vanished by July’s first showers. Videos show thin asphalt layers rolled onto dusty, moist surfaces without proper bonding, violating standard road-laying protocols.
2. Ground Zero: The City’s Pothole Hotspots
Citizen evidence points to recurring danger zones.
Thane-Belapur Road near Turbhe MIDC and Ghansoli has become a nightmare for container traffic.
Palm Beach Road’s service lanes in Vashi, Sanpada, and Seawoods have developed major potholes.
Kharghar Station to Sion-Panvel Highway and Airoli-Katai Freeway are riddled with deep craters.
In Ulwe and Dronagiri, still under CIDCO’s jurisdiction, heavy construction vehicles have destroyed internal roads, making many stretches nearly unusable.
3. The Science of Failure
Civil engineers explain that asphalt cannot withstand stagnant water. Poorly maintained drains cause waterlogging, which weakens the road’s foundation. Once the base fails, cracks appear, and potholes spread under pressure. Low-quality bitumen only speeds up the damage.
NMMC officials, when asked, blamed “exceptionally heavy rainfall” this season but added that resurfacing works using hot-mix asphalt are now being carried out on “war footing.”
Accountability is Demanded
Citizens say the yearly excuse of “too much rain” is no longer acceptable. They are demanding a permanent fix, not seasonal patches.
Defect Liability Period (DLP): Contractors must be held accountable for at least 3–5 years after completing road works, as per their contracts.
Better Technology: For waterlogged areas, experts recommend mastic asphalt or concrete white-topping instead of temporary blacktopping.
Transparent Governance: Only strict audits, citizen vigilance, and genuine enforcement can break the cycle of shoddy work.
For a city built on the promise of planning, Navi Mumbai deserves roads that endure, not just ones that survive until the next downpour.
Sources
Navi Mumbai’s citizens forum oppose road repair work amid heavy rain – Times of India
Motorists: Potholes on Navi Mumbai roads cause jams – Times of India
NMMC Launches ‘Road Repair Squad’ To Tackle Potholes And Monsoon Damage Across City – Free Press Journal
Sajag Nagrik Manch Slams NMMC For Roadwork Amid Monsoon; Calls It Waste Of Public Money – Free Press Journal