Amid reports in the print, electronic, and social media about the bad state of Mumbai’s newly constructed coastal road, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday categorically stated that the prestigious road was completely “safe” and it had not developed potholes as was being claimed by motorists using this road.

After a few leading newspapers went to town quoting complaints made by motorists in social, print and electronic media that the north-bound stretch of the Mumbai coastal road had developed potholes near Haji Ali junction, the BMC said: “The coastal road is completely safe and has not developed potholes as is being claimed by some citizens. The patches you see are actually a ‘mastic coat’ applied to prevent potholes on the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR)”.

‘“Based on the photographs published or aired in the social, print and electronic media, some sections of people have complained that the coast road – known officially as the `Dharmaveer Swaraj Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road’—has developed potholes. Questions have been raised by the quality of construction. We appeal to the citizens not to lend credence to the misinformation being spread on the various media platforms,” the BMC said in a statement issued here.

‘Denying that there was no basis for reports in that “shoddy work” had been carried out on the toll-free Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR), the BMC said that ‘mastic coat’ applied to prevent potholes on the MCR and the road would be restored to its original position after the monsoon”.

‘It may be recalled  that It said that the north-bound arm (Chowpatty-Worli) pf the MCR was opened in July 2024 as a tarred road, but an additional coasting of mastic was applied at certain places to ensure the asphalt remains strong during the continuous and heavy rains witnessed in Mumbai during the monsoon months.

‘However, the mastic coating has not been applied on the south-bound arm (Worli-Chowpatty). This is because this stretch was opened in March 2024 and the asphalting got sufficient time to solidify before the monsoon, proving that there is no defect in the road construction.

‘According to theBMC, massive beams have been set up to link the MCR with the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link, but to complete the work, a temporary route has been provided to facilitate the traffic going to the sea bridge.

‘This alternative route comprises a road leading to the Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Marg in Worli at the Worli Interchange, and once the direct access to the sea bridge is completed, it will be discontinued, and hence has nothing to do with the road quality of MCR, as speculated.

‘There have been posts, photographs and videos of cracks/potholes developed on the MCR.

While some have slammed the BMC and compared it with the cracks that had developed on the approach route to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, ‘Atal Setu’ in June, and certain other projects.