Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) says it has repaired 1,187 potholes across its 10 administrative zones over the past two months, but the city’s motorists beg to differ. Official records show 641 potholes were fixed in June and another 546 in July, averaging about 19 a day. Yet, the daily commute continues to be a bumpy affair, with many stretches still marred by craters and broken patches.
Part of the problem is that NMC isn’t the only agency responsible for Nagpur’s roads. The network is split between the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), State PWD, the NH division of PWD, MahaMetro, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). While NMC and, to some extent, MahaMetro have carried out visible repairs, other agencies have done little to address worsening conditions, with NIT drawing the most flak for neglecting the majority of tar roads under its control.
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08 Aug 2025
Zone-wise, Mangalwari led the repair drive in June with 159 potholes fixed, but slowed to just 38 in July. Dharampeth topped the July tally with 128 repairs, up from 112 the previous month. Dhantoli saw the biggest surge, jumping from 40 repairs in June to 107 in July. Other zones like Laxmi Nagar, Hanuman Nagar, and Ashi Nagar also reported activity, but residents insist that most fixes are “cosmetic patches” that wash away in the first heavy rains, leaving the same potholes exposed again.
Key roads near busy junctions, markets, hospitals, and schools remain in disrepair, forcing two-wheelers and cars to weave dangerously through traffic. “These are not real repairs, just temporary fillings to keep up appearances before elections,” complained a local shopkeeper in Sadar.
With the festive season approaching and civic elections on the horizon, public anger is mounting. Citizens are demanding not just statistics, but durable, on-ground solutions to the city’s chronic pothole problem.
