Bombay High Court revives plea on potholes, next hearing on December 3

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday stated that it will revive a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the issue of potholes in Mumbai and other districts in Maharashtra.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar delivered the ruling on a contempt petition filed by Advocate Ruju Thakkar, alleging non-compliance with the court’s previous order directing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other authorities to maintain road quality.
While dismissing the contempt petition, the Court noted that, due to the broader public interest and the fundamental rights in the case, it would revive the PIL.
“However, considering public welfare and the importance of safeguarding fundamental rights under Article 21, the PIL is being revived,” stated Chief Justice Upadhyaya.
Regarding the contempt petition, the bench stated that the authorities had made genuine efforts to comply with the court’s orders. As a result, they could not be held in contempt of the court’s directives from February 24 and April 12, 2018.
In 2018, the High Court instructed authorities to repair potholes on all major roads in Mumbai and to establish a uniform system for addressing citizens’ complaints about bad roads and potholes. Responding to this, Advocate Thakkar argued that the authorities had failed to comply with this order, as many roads remained in poor condition.
The court has now directed all municipal corporations to take immediate corrective action and fully comply with the 2018 order. The PIL is scheduled for its next hearing on December 3.