Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has stepped up a citywide pothole repair drive and said it repaired more than 5,000 potholes in the past 10 days, bringing the total fixed since June to over 13,000, as officials seek to ease mounting public anger and comply with state-level directives ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
What the civic body reports
The public works department has deployed dedicated repair teams and vehicles across all six NMC divisions to accelerate patching work on major roads and internal streets. According to a senior NMC official, teams have used a mix of macadam, bitumen and cold mix to carry out temporary repairs during the monsoon. The official said more durable Modified Penetration Macadam (MPM) surfacing will be applied on repaired stretches once rains subside.
“We have repaired over 5,000 potholes in recent days using macadam, bitumen and cold mix materials. Once the monsoon recedes, we will undertake modified penetration macadam (MPM) works on these stretches to provide a more durable surface,”
Persistent problem spots and complicating projects
Officials acknowledged that some key stretches remain difficult to maintain because major water-supply and drainage projects are under way. The NMC identified Ambad-Satpur Link Road, Makhmalabad Road and Bardan Phata Road as particularly problematic: large pipeline and drainage works, officials said, cause the road surface to settle repeatedly and necessitate frequent repairs.
- Repair method: macadam, bitumen, cold mix; long-term MPM planned after monsoon
- Deployment: dedicated vehicles and teams across six NMC divisions
- Challenging stretches: Ambad-Satpur Link Road, Makhmalabad Road, Bardan Phata Road
Administration action and public concern
The intensification of repairs follows repeated directives from state leaders. The article referenced instructions from Kumbh Mela minister Girish Mahajan and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who recently criticised civic officials over the deteriorating road network as the city prepares for the Simhastha. The condition of Nashik’s roads has drawn protests from opposition parties, social organisations and residents in recent weeks.
Local concern escalated after reports of six alleged pothole-related deaths and several injuries over the past two months, prompting administrative action. NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri has issued show-cause notices to city engineer Sanjay Agrawal and other officials, the corporation confirmed.
| Period | Potholes repaired (NMC figure) |
|---|---|
| Past 10 days | 5,000+ |
| Since June | 13,000+ |
Practical impact and what remains to be done
For motorists, two-wheelers and public-transport users across Nashik — from Gangapur Road to Nashik Road and the industrial stretches near Satpur and Ambad — the immediate aim is to reduce hazards during the monsoon. Officials said temporary patching is meant primarily to improve commuter safety and to prevent further incidents until comprehensive resurfacing can be carried out.
However, officials admitted that frequent rework will be required on roads where underlying pipeline and drainage works continue. That places the NMC between the immediate need for safer surfaces and the long-term objective of completing utility upgrades without repeated damage to new tarmac.
Residents and civic groups will be watching whether the announced MPM resurfacing takes place after the rains and whether departmental accountability measures — including the show-cause notices issued by Commissioner Khatri — lead to faster, sustained improvements on Nashik’s roads ahead of high-profile events such as the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
