New Delhi: Delhi’s roads are beginning to look like a map of monsoon scars. With the city seeing repeated spells of rain this season, potholes, broken bitumen, dusty patches and uneven surfaces have resurfaced across several key stretches, turning routine commutes into a test of caution and patience.Whether it’s Geeta Colony in east Delhi or Mathura Road in the south or other roads in the heart of the city, damaged stretches are increasingly difficult to miss. TOI visited several areas to assess their condition and found broken portions at many locations.Mathura Road, one of Delhi’s key arterial roads, carries heavy traffic through the day and serves as a crucial link between central Delhi, Ashram, Sarita Vihar, Jasola and Badarpur, besides connecting the capital with Faridabad. During the spot visit, portions of the carriageway near Apollo Hospital in Sarita Vihar were found dusty and broken while another damaged patch was visible near a CNG station on the opposite side.A shopkeeper near the stretch said the problem had persisted for nearly three months. “Water keeps spilling onto the carriageway even when it has not rained, because of the potholes and damaged portions,” he said.The problem is not confined to one road. On Geeta Colony bridge towards Rajghat, riders encountered cracked and damaged portions on the road. Near Modi Mill, stretches appeared dusty and uneven, with loose soil visible at several points. Similar patches were seen on Vivekanand Marg near New Delhi Railway Station and on Ashram Marg. Potholes covered parts of Sachivalaya Marg — an ironic sight at the seat of Delhi govt. Several motorists complained of slow-moving traffic and rising frustration.The issue has also found its way to social media. On X, a commuter posted that the road connecting Sikanderpur metro station to MG Road and Golf Course Road was “broken with deep craters”, describing it as a busy stretch used by traffic travelling towards Gurgaon and Faridabad. Another post highlighted a broken water pipe and “Mars-like craters” on a road in Malviya Nagar.The recurring deterioration has raised questions about whether pothole repairs alone can address a problem that resurfaces with every monsoon. PWD has repeatedly undertaken drives to repair potholes across the roughly 1,400km of roads under its jurisdiction, but fresh damaged patches continue to appear.S Velmurugan, senior adviser, National Council of Applied Economic Research, said, “The biggest enemy of bituminous roads, which is the only type of pavement being laid in NCT of Delhi, is the accumulation of water due to inadequate dimensions of stormwater drains designed way back in 1978. This exacerbates huge stress on the city’s overall drainage system, inevitably leading to rutting, ravelling and potholes.”“Since no major revamp has been carried out by govt, road quality will keep deteriorating. If stormwater drains and the drainage system were in the upgraded status, these problems would not have occurred. At present, every major stretch — from flyovers to Inner and Outer Ring Road — is bearing the brunt,” he said.Another road engineer, not wishing to be named, said while concrete roads are generally less susceptible to water-related deterioration, bituminous roads offer greater flexibility and are widely used because of their riding quality and ease of repair.“The top layer comprises aggregates and fine material bound together, followed by the bituminous layer. When water enters the pavement, it weakens the bond and gradually damages the road. That’s why proper drainage is critical. If the road is concrete, digging work gets difficult. Water accumulation is one of the biggest enemies of bituminous roads,” he said.PWD officials said several roads had been repaired and work was underway on other damaged stretches. Tenders have also been invited for repairs.Mathura Road is maintained by National Highways Authority of India. There was no immediate response from NHAI officials on the condition of the road.
