Calling it “a classic case of recurring civic apathy,” the Bombay High Court has ordered monetary compensation for victims of pothole-related deaths and injuries, holding civic and state authorities directly responsible for crumbling roads in Mumbai. The court warned that erring officers and contractors would henceforth face personal liability for negligence.

Judges Criticize Longstanding Inaction

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sandesh Patil said it was “deeply disturbing” that despite numerous orders since 2015, the same issues surface every monsoon. “The condition of the roads continues to deteriorate every monsoon, and, at places, after the very first shower,” the judges remarked, adding that civic assurances had failed to translate into meaningful action.

Origins of the

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