MUMBAI, June 18 -- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is at the halfway mark in its city-wide road concretisation initiative. It has concretised 63.53% of roads in Phase 1 and 36.84% in Phase 2 - collectively, that's 50.18% of roads completed. The deadline was May 31, 2025. Under Phase 1 and 2, a total of 2,121 roads covering 700km were to be taken up - 700 roads in Phase 1 and 1,421 roads in Phase 2. According to figures provided by the BMC, only 342.74 km of work, on 1,385 roads, was completed by May 31, 2025. The BMC aims to complete Phase 1 by December 2025, and Phase 2 by December 2026. Launched in 2023, the initiative aims to transform roads into a durable, pothole-free network. "Cement-concrete roads offer a significant advantage during the monsoon, being less susceptible to potholes and requiring minimal maintenance," said a civic official. The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT Bombay) was appointed as a third-party agency to oversee testing and inspections. Their involvement included cube and core tests, field density checks, and impromptu site visits. In many places, contrary to the ground reality, the civic administration claims all roads that have been concreted are free of construction debris and open to public use. Storm water drains along these roads have been cleaned, and speed breakers will be reconstructed once approvals are received. The initiative also focused on public accessibility, with footpaths made accessible for differently-abled users and protective tree guards installed. To keep citizens informed, signage and QR codes were displayed at work sites....