Mumbai: Amid mounting criticism over the poor condition of the newly opened stretch of the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is the project nodal agency on Wednesday attributed the appearance of potholes to heavy rainfall and asserted that the damage was ‘very negligible‘ (minor)and swiftly repaired.
The 76-kilometre final phase between Igatpuri and Amane, inaugurated on June 5, 2025, reportedly developed potholes following recent downpours, triggering concerns about construction quality. However, MSRDC clarified that the issue was limited in scope.
“On June 24, 2025, due to heavy rains, the asphalt surface had come off at seven locations, with stones dislodging in the process. The affected surface area was approximately 1 square metre, which is very negligible when compared to the total asphalt surface on the 76-km stretch,” MSRDC said in an official statement.
According to the corporation, the potholes were promptly filled by a dedicated maintenance team, and the road surface was fully restored. Traffic is now moving smoothly across the affected stretch. MSRDC also stated that a 25 mm thick asphalt layer had been laid over the concrete surface of an underpass (VUP.
The agency stated that out of the 76 km, around 54.5 km is concrete surface, while the remaining 11.5 km—comprising viaducts and bridges—features asphalt surfacing, all of which remains in good condition, it claimed.
The MSRDC stressed that the entire highway remains under a four-year Defect Liability Period, during which the contractor is responsible for regular maintenance and necessary repairs. “A special repair team has been deployed round-the-clock to address any deficiencies or damage immediately,” the statement added.
The 701-km-long Samruddhi Mahamarg Constructed as per IRC (Indian Roads Congress) standards. The aims is to provide high-speed connectivity between Mumbai and Nagpur. While the project has been lauded for its ambition, incidents like these have raised questions about construction quality, especially during the monsoon.
