Nashik Roads Riddled with Potholes: Spike in Accidents Prompts Civic Action

With a sharp rise in road accidents attributed to potholes and ongoing excavation works, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has swung into action. The civic body has imposed an immediate ban on road-digging activities by all private contractors, including Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) and the Smart City Company, starting Thursday.

Unseasonal rainfall has worsened the already deteriorating condition of city roads. Excavations for infrastructure development—such as laying pipelines, installing CCTV systems, and upgrading traffic signals—have been underway for the past two months. As a result, large potholes have formed across various parts of the city, causing serious inconvenience to commuters and increasing the risk of accidents.

Water has begun accumulating in these pits due to the unexpected rains, and loosened soil is being washed onto the roads, further obstructing traffic flow. In many areas, citizens are struggling to even locate the actual road beneath the layers of mud and debris—what locals are now calling “roads in the rocks.”

Residents have also reported frequent traffic jams and heightened danger for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. In response, the NMC has taken a firm stand to prevent further deterioration of road conditions. The Corporation has not only enforced a temporary halt on all excavation work by private agencies but has also directed that all pre-monsoon road repairs be completed by June 15.

The civic body aims to restore safer travel conditions ahead of the monsoon season and is expected to monitor roadwork activities more stringently in the coming weeks.