Cracks in Concrete: Aarey Road Repairs Spark Concern in Goregaon

Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon East, Mumbai: Less than nine months after its construction, cracks have surfaced on the main cement concrete (CC) road in Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon East, leading to repairs and traffic congestion. This Rs 51.6 crore project, part of a BMC initiative to provide durable roads, has drawn criticism for substandard work despite a 10-year defect liability period.

In August 2024, following inspections, the contractor, G L Construction, was fined Rs 28.45 lakh for the shoddy construction. Now, repairs have commenced at 10-12 locations without additional cost to the civic body, according to a BMC official.

Motorists are grappling with heavy traffic at spots between Aarey Hospital and the VIP guest house junction as repair works block the eastbound stretch. Residents like Paramjit Singh Sidhu and Parag Raorane have shifted to alternate routes via Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Western Express Highway (WEH) to avoid delays.

With the main road designed to connect Goregaon Junction to L&T Junction in Powai, locals hope the BMC ensures quality restoration to prevent recurring issues. Activists have voiced concerns, urging the civic body to uphold higher construction standards for public infrastructure.