Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Mumbai Activists Plan Cockroach Protest Over Persistent Potholes And Corruption
Mumbai has many roads with potholes, which can make travel dangerous.
A group called Watchdog Foundation is planning an unusual protest.
They will symbolically release a few live cockroaches near or inside potholes.
The cockroaches are meant to represent dirt, neglect and the poor condition of the roads.
The protest will happen on Thursday near the Sahar Road Metro 3 station.
Activists say many potholes remain even after a lot of road-construction work.
They also say some roads are unfinished and uneven.
City officials say some roads were made usable before the monsoon, but activists say the situation on the ground is different.
The group wants stronger and more lasting road repairs.
Watchdog Foundation will stage a symbolic cockroach-release protest near potholes on Sahar Road.
The protest is scheduled for Thursday at 12:30 p.m. near the Sahar Road Metro 3 station.
Activists say potholes persist despite extensive citywide road-concretisation work and substantial repair spending.
The BMC has received 10,106 pothole complaints since June 10, including 760 this month.
Watchdog Foundation trustee Godfrey Pimenta called for durable, scientific and accountable road repairs instead of temporary patchwork.
- Who
- Watchdog Foundation, citizens and civic activists, including trustee Godfrey Pimenta.
- What
- A symbolic protest involving the release of a few live cockroaches near or into potholes.
- When
- Thursday at 12:30 p.m.; the article does not provide a date.
- Where
- Sahar Road, near the Sahar Road Metro 3 station in Mumbai.
- Why
- To protest persistent potholes, poor road maintenance, incomplete road works and alleged corruption in road repairs.
Activists' Concerns
Officials' Position
Condition of city roads
Activists' Concerns
Watchdog Foundation says potholes remain widespread despite extensive concretisation and repair spending, endangering motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
Officials' Position
Officials claim incomplete road works were made motorable before the monsoon, although the article says on-the-ground conditions differ in several locations.
Repair approach
Activists' Concerns
Activists demand durable, scientific and accountable repairs rather than temporary patchwork and say some concretised roads remain uneven.
Officials' Position
The BMC is continuing a road-concretisation programme and plans to resume work after the monsoon.
- Organizer
- Watchdog Foundation
- Protest symbol
- A few live cockroaches released near or into existing potholes
- Reported venue
- Sahar Road, near Sahar Road Metro 3 station
- Time
- Thursday at 12:30 p.m.
- Pothole complaints since June 10
- 10,106 received by the BMC
- Complaints this month
- 760
- Repair position
- The BMC is to resume road concretisation work after the monsoon