On 28 July 2015, I lost my 16-year-old son Prakash in a road accident caused by a pothole. A year has passed. The sorry state of the Mumbai roads still prevails. There have been similar mishaps in Ambarnath and Bandra too. Having complete faith in our judiciary system, I still await a court hearing of the unfortunate incident and the due justice.

“I don't want another Prakash to be lost due to potholes.”

So I took a decision to fill the pothole-shaped open graves that I spot on my way using mud, debris and paver blocks. In last 8 months, along with the help of several Mumbaikars, I have filled more than 350 potholes wherever possible across Mumbai. This is a grieving father’s tribute to his beloved son.

Earlier, Hon’ble Bombay High Court has also stated that pothole-free roads is a fundamental right and there is a need for simple redressal mechanism under which a citizen can complain to the civic body about potholes. (Courtesy: Times of India, Jan 31, 2015)

“The only solutions that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves.” - Satyajit Ray

Fill in the Potholes Project, a citizen group in Mumbai has developed a mobile app - Spothole, and is willing to collaborate with BMC to fill the potholes together.

The app uses three basic features already available in any smartphone — mobile camera, GPS and 3G Internet and thus enables citizens to report a pothole location along with the photo and accomplish half the job. All that the BMC has to do is fill those potholes spotted by the citizens.

The Spothole App is funded and developed by the common Mumbaikars and BMC is yet to be part of the process. Once the BMC agrees to partner with the “of the people, by the people, for the people” Spothole App, they’ll be able to access all the potholes reported across Mumbai and fill them in quick turnaround time.

If the Google Maps interface of the Spothole App can help me navigate and reach a pothole location to fill it, indeed it's useful for the BMC to keep a track of the potholes across the city and fill them to avoid any misfortune on the roads.

• I’m hereby appealing to the BMC to take a stand in this matter and take road safety as their top concern during the monsoon season, and lead by example to demonstrate citizen-Govt. partnership by accepting the solution designed by the responsible citizens of Mumbai to fill the potholes together.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

• I am also appealing to the citizens of Mumbai to download the Spothole App, share it with friends, family and fellow Mumbaikars and report potholes in-around their neighbourhood to participate and show support towards the cause. With Spothole App, change is in your own hands.

Download Spothole App: Android | iPhone

Let’s fill the potholes together. Please sign the petition so we don't lose another precious human life due to a pothole. Consider it my late son Prakash’s last wish.

Thank you for your time.

Yours truly,

Dadarao Bilhore

Fill in the Potholes Project

info@fillinthepotholes.com