Mumbai: Nearly 27,000 potholes have been registered by Mumbaikars in just 38 days as part of a city activist’s attempt to enter Mumbai’s name into the Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records.

Navin Lade, general secretary of the employment wing of the Republican Party of India, wants to get the certificate in the names of the state government and BMC for the large number of potholes on city roads.

In his campaign titled “pothole-free Mumbai” initiated on July 17, Mr Lade had appealed to citizens to send images of potholes on his contact number and email identity or his website at http://mumbaipotholes.com.

According to him, during the 38-day period from July 17 to August 23, Mumbaikars recorded 26,934 potholes. The data pertaining to potholes has been sent to the Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records. “I am requesting the public works department of the state government and the BMC chief to verify the information on potholes on the website and fill those potholes to make the city pothole-free,” said Mr Lade.

The activist has spent `4 lakh on this initiative to provide documentary evidence to the authorities on the bad condition of Mumbai roads. He has hired a team of youngsters christened the “Rising Star” group which goes around city streets on their motorcycles not only to gather evidence but also to verify entries made by other Mumbaikars. The group distributes pamphlets and erects banners and posters to draw the attention of the public.