A True Engineering Marvel: This Road in Pune is Built 48 years ago and Never Reported a Single Pothole
A True Engineering Marvel: This Road in Pune is Built 48 years ago and Never Reported a Single Pothole
Pune’s JM Road Stands Strong After 50 Years, A Rare Tale of Quality, Integrity, and Vision in Indian Road Construction
In a country where the monsoon season often lays bare the poor quality of roadworks, Pune’s Jangli Maharaj Road stands as an astonishing exception. Built half a century ago, this 2.5-kilometer stretch connecting Jangli Maharaj Temple to the Deccan Gymkhana area remains in remarkable condition, without a single pothole in its history. Known locally as JM Road, it is widely regarded as a benchmark for corruption-free, high-quality infrastructure.
The origins of this engineering marvel date back to the early 1970s. In 1972, Maharashtra faced a severe drought, followed by devastating floods the next year that left Pune’s roads in ruins. At the time, 21-year-old corporator and Standing Committee chairman Shrikant Shirole questioned why Mumbai, which experiences heavier rainfall, did not face similar road degradation. Pune’s city engineers revealed that a Parsi-owned company in Mumbai, Recondo, used an advanced “hot mix” technology that produced longer-lasting roads. Determined to replicate this success, Shirole personally approached the company and convinced its owners to take on the JM Road project.
In a decision that defied typical bureaucratic practice, no public tender was issued. Instead, the work was directly awarded to Recondo, with a written guarantee that the road would remain pothole-free for at least ten years, and that any damage would be repaired at no cost to the city. On January 1, 1976, JM Road was officially opened, and by the end of the contract’s ten-year period in 1985, the road was still flawless.
Remarkably, even after 50 years, the road requires only minor maintenance. The project, costing ₹15 lakh at the time—when gold was ₹200 per tola and petrol 80 paise per liter—remains an unmatched example of efficiency and durability.
Despite their success, the Recondo brothers never received another project in Pune. Shirole has candidly attributed the road’s enduring quality to the absence of corruption, noting in a 2022 interview that political changes and vested interests later prevented the same standards from being upheld. Over the years, the Recondo brothers reportedly parted ways, and their company, Recondo Developers & Contractors Pvt. Ltd., ceased to exist, but JM Road remains a living testament to their craftsmanship.
Today, JM Road is more than just an arterial route in Pune, it is a symbol of what is possible when public infrastructure is built with skill, integrity, and long-term vision, a rarity in modern urban development.
