Overview
- Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao chaired the first meeting of the High Court–mandated committee to verify pothole and open manhole accidents and determine compensation.
- Citizens have been asked to lodge complaints with the Thane committee within 48 hours of an accident, which will be assessed using police panchnama and road ownership records.
- Accidents caused solely by vehicle collisions will be excluded from compensation decisions, with cases limited to hazards such as potholes or uncovered manholes.
- The High Court set filing deadlines for inquiry reports: Thane, Bhiwandi and the BMC by January 7, 2026, and other authorities by January 22, 2026.
- Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sandesh D Patil warned that corporations must compensate victims if roads are not maintained, as TMC agreed to place 18 alleged Thane pothole deaths before the state committee and the BMC pledged affidavits and urgent repairs at flagged sites.