After spending nearly Rs70 crore to purchase three high-tech pothole filling machines, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now planning to scrap them.

The civic body said this was because it is difficult to operate the machines on city roads.

According to officials of the BMC’s roads department, the corporation bought three pothole filling machines in 2008 from a US-based company for the city and the western and eastern suburbs.

“For the past three years, the machines have been lying \in a garage. They are in a pathetic condition and maintaining them is expensive. So the machines are of no use and the BMC has decided to do away with them,” a senior official from roads department said.

He added that the machines were used only in 2008 and have been kept in a garage since then.

“Apart from some technical difficulties, the truck-like machines are difficult to operate on roads. Even we don’t know how to operate them,” the official said.

Citizens have slammed the civic body for not using the expensive machines. “How can the BMC let these machines lie idle in a garage for the last three years when citizens are suffering due to potholes. It is a gross misuse of public funds,” said Anil Joseph, an activist from Bandra. “The committee, which allowed the purchase, and the civic administration should be held responsible for this and put to task.”