Bhopal: Over 12 BMC Roads Damaged Within Warranty Period, No Penalty Yet

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Over 12 major roads built or re-asphalted by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) have suffered severe damage well before the end of their five-year warranty period.

Although notices were issued to seven contractors, no fines or penalties have been imposed to date, raising serious concerns about accountability and the potential for corruption.

Key roads across the city, such as Data Colony Road, Ashoka Garden, Gautam Nagar, Rachna Nagar, and the stretch from Polytechnic Square to Roshanpura, were developed or resurfaced before the 2023 assembly elections. Some of them were repaired again in 2024, yet they have started to break down.

₹10 crore-roads re-paved within 2 years

From December 2022 to May 2024, roads worth approximately Rs 10 crore were asphalted in Sant Hirdaram Nagar, with efforts led by local MLAs. These included prominent routes such as Data Colony to Ayyappa Temple, Aara Machine Road, Prem Ramchandani Marg, Police Chowki Road, and several internal roads in Gautam Nagar and Rachna Nagar. 

Question on 5-year warranty

In September 2023, ahead of the assembly election, BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma had questioned BMC officials, including those from the mechanical branch and city planning, about the road quality near Prem Ramchandani Marg.

The officials had confidently said that the asphalt roads carried a five-year warranty. However, it’s not been two years and roads such as Sadhu Vaswani School Road, Chanchal Road, and Jaslok School vicinity have developed large potholes and peeling surfaces.

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Poor patchwork causing potholes 

Inadequate patchwork by the mechanical department before the monsoon has worsened the situation. Areas such as Ashoka Garden and Paras Hotel saw only partial patch-filling with asphalt gravel before the material ran out. The recent rains have caused massive potholes, leading to frequent accidents, particularly involving two-wheelers and women drivers.

‘Notices served, process ongoing’

BMC Superintendent Engineer Subodh Jain confirmed that seven contractors were served notices for warranty violations but admitted that no penalties have been enforced yet. He said the process of issuing further notices is ongoing.