{
  "id": 1539060,
  "title": "Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Directs Maharashtra Civic Bodies To Make Roads Pothole-Free Before Ganeshotsav, Warns Against Poor Work",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/deputy-cm-eknath-shinde-directs-maharashtra-civic-bodies-to-make",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T17:54:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/deputy-cm-eknath-shinde-directs-maharashtra-civic-bodies-to-make-roads-pothole-free-before-ganeshotsav-warns-against-poor-work"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has instructed all municipal corporations across the state to launch an immediate campaign to restore roads to pothole-free conditions before the Ganeshotsav festival. The directive comes as several complaints have been received regarding potholes in major cities, and the Bombay High Court has also urged the government to expedite repairs. During a special meeting to assess the pothole situation, Shinde emphasized the use of new technologies such as precast solutions and geopolymer techno-patches for urgent repairs during the monsoon season. He emphasized the need for a time-bound repair plan, especially on immersion routes, procession routes, and internal roads. Shinde directed civic authorities to personally inspect roads and give top priority to roads used for Ganesh processions and immersion ceremonies. He also asked officials to inspect immersion routes, procession routes, and ghats to ensure all necessary civic facilities are in place. To handle the increased volume of complaints, Shinde instructed civic bodies to establish dedicated helpline numbers for citizens to report potholes and ensure that mobile application complaints are addressed promptly. To ensure a smooth Ganeshotsav, Shinde directed municipal corporations to keep a 24x7 road repair mechanism in place and conduct regular inspections of ongoing works. He emphasized the importance of coordination among agencies such as the Public Works Department, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority to prevent potholes on roads under their jurisdiction. Shinde warned against any new road digging during the festival period and stressed the need to protect electrical wires along procession and immersion routes to prevent accidents. Additionally, he instructed civic bodies not to impose unnecessary charges on Ganesh mandals and to streamline the permission process for festival celebrations. The best-performing civic bodies will receive awards, while those found to be inadequate will be tracked for future government funding allocations.",
  "summary": "Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed all municipal corporations in the state to launch an immediate drive to make roads pothole-free ahead of the upcoming Ganeshotsav and use modern technologies such as precast solutions and geopolymer techno-patches for urgent repairs during the monsoon. Time-Bound Repairs Ordered On Procession And Immersion Routes Chairing a special…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}