Will pothole-free roads remain only dream for Mumbaikars? Looks like it. (File Photo)

Despite multiple deadlines issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief to complete the road work before monsoon in Mumbai, contractors are struggling to complete the work. And sources indicate that like every year, this time too, the deadline will get extended further.

Mumbai roads have always posed problems for Mumbaikars, and the city has never managed to get a permanent solution to fix potholes or badly shapes roads.

This time the BMC chief has asked road contractors to complete their work by May end, but situation on the ground is totally different. And looking at the speed of the work it looks that it will cross the given deadline.

"Every year they give new deadline and extensions to it. Basic problem is that they never start pre-monsoon work on time. This was brought to notice of authorities but no action has been taken yet," said MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande.

To see the situation at ground zero, India Today hit the Dadar TT road, one of Mumbai's busiest road. BMC has undertaken road work just next to Dadar ST depo, causing traffic issues in the whole area. Tour & Travel company owners have also been having major problems to park their vehicles at their usual spots.

"This road work started month back but still it is yet to get completed. It's affecting our business as we can't park our tourist vehicle on the road. It's is very difficult for our customers to cross this road at come to our office. Traffic situation is also a concern now for us," said Anwar, a Travel Agent at Dadar TT.

From there, we moved to the road near Bombay High Court.

It was Bombay High Court who, few years back, while hearing a petition on Mumbai roads had said that Mumbaikars have the right to have pothole free roads. Just outside the same court, road work is going on.

BMC's budget for repairing and maintaining roads, for the year 2016-17, was approximately Rs 1,000 crore. There are a total of 583 roads in Mumbai, out of which work of 155 roads is done. In all just 27% percent road work has been completed before monsoon when 100% completion was expected.

It looks like getting pothole-free roads will remain only dream for Mumbaikars.

For years the same old story is repeating in Mumbai, leaving taxpayers cheated. Opposition has termed this a nexus between Shiv Sena, BJP and road contractors, as Shiv Sena and BJP only blame each other for shoddy work, but in actual they don't do anything against people who are really responsible for bad roads of Mumbai.

"It's a nexus between Shiv Sena-BJP and road contractors. They are not doing their work properly. Sena - BJP should stop this cat fight and work for people as Mumbaikars are suffering every time," said NCP National Spokesperson Nawab Malik.

According to sources, the given deadline will get an extension but will BMC chief act against road contractors who will cross the deadline and won't do proper work.