THANE: A discussion on the worsening pothole situation across Kalyan-Dombivli triggered a heated political showdown in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) general body meeting on Monday, with leaders from rival political parties trading barbs over road conditions and civic inaction ahead of the monsoon.
Congress group leader Kanchan Kulkarni strongly criticized the administration for failing to repair roads and fill potholes despite the onset of the monsoon season. Raising the issue during the meeting, she questioned why pothole-filling work had not been completed and accused the civic administration of repeatedly citing issues related to asphalt contracts and road repair tenders to justify delays.
“Every year, we discuss potholes, but citizens continue to suffer. People regularly approach me with complaints about damaged roads. At least four to five people lose their lives annually in pothole-related accidents. Is the administration waiting for more deaths before taking action?” Kulkarni asked.
She further pointed out that the delayed arrival of the monsoon had given the civic body additional time to undertake repairs and urged officials to immediately begin road restoration work instead of engaging in endless discussions. The issue, however, soon snowballed into a political confrontation between members of Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT).
During the debate, the UBT group leader Umesh Borgaonkar took a swipe at the ruling party, remarking that if officials wanted potholes in Kalyan-Dombivli to be repaired quickly, they should take Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde on a tour of the affected roads.
“If the MP is taken through these roads once, the administration will automatically ensure that the potholes are filled,” the UBT leader said, drawing loud reactions from the ruling Shiv Sena. The remark was strongly objected to by Shiv Sena corporator Mallesh Shetty and group leader Vishwanath Rane, who defended the party leadership and hit back at the opposition.
The two leaders asserted that their party and leadership had the capability and commitment to address public issues, leading to a brief uproar in the House.
