The stretch of road outside Navrangpura's Swastik Cross Roads junction had developed a reputation. Seven distinct potholes had formed along a 40-metre section — some more than a foot deep — turning the main artery into a daily obstacle course for the thousands of commuters who used it.
Residents had complained individually over two monsoon seasons. Nothing moved. Then three neighbours decided to try a different approach.
Day Zero: The Decision to Go Public
Komal Mehta, a resident of the building complex overlooking the junction, had filed on AMC CCRS twice and called 1883 once. Each time, she received a ticket number and silence. In October 2024, after watching a two-wheeler accident at one of the larger potholes, she decided to try coordinating with her neighbours instead of filing alone.
"I messaged two people in our building complex committee and said — let's report this together, not separately," she told us. "We agreed to report on CivicIssue first, document everything properly, and then systematically share it."
Day 1: The Report
The three residents went to the junction together at 7 AM on a Saturday — good light, less traffic. They photographed each pothole individually (noting approximate dimensions), then shot a wide video panning the entire stretch. Total documentation time: 20 minutes.
Komal filed a single CivicIssue report covering all seven potholes, with the wide video and individual photos. Her description was precise: "7 potholes on the eastbound lane of Navrangpura Cross Roads, 40-metre stretch between [two landmarks]. Largest is approximately 18 inches wide and 10 inches deep. Near-miss motorcycle accident on October 14. Road condition present since August monsoon 2024."
The report was live within two minutes.
Days 2–3: Community Mobilisation
The three residents shared the CivicIssue link in six WhatsApp groups covering residents from three nearby housing complexes, a local business association, and two commuter groups. Their message was short: "If you use this road — take 10 seconds to upvote this. More upvotes = faster repair."
By end of Day 3, the report had 94 upvotes. By Day 5, it had 167.
"We didn't ask people to call anyone or file anything themselves. Just one tap on a link. That's what made it spread — it was frictionless." — Komal Mehta, Navrangpura
Day 6: The Ward Office Responds
On Day 6, the CivicIssue issue had 189 upvotes and had appeared on the ward-level issue tracker. Komal received a call from the ward office's road maintenance coordinator asking for the exact location. She gave the pole numbers she'd noted during documentation, the GPS coordinates from her CivicIssue report, and offered to meet them at the site.
"That call changed everything," she said. "They had someone who could actually identify the specific stretch. The GPS coordinates meant they didn't need to send someone to find it first."
Day 11: Repair Begins
An AMC road repair crew arrived at 9 AM on Day 11. All seven potholes were patched by noon. Komal photographed the repair and uploaded the after photos to her CivicIssue report, marking it resolved.
Total time from coordinated report to resolution: 11 days. Previous individual complaints over the same road: 14 months, zero resolutions.
What Made This Work — And What Didn't
Reflecting on the campaign, the three residents identified three key factors:
- Quality documentation from the start. The individual photos, GPS location, and specific measurements meant the ward office coordinator could immediately identify the issue without a site visit first. Most complaints fail at this step.
- One report covering all issues. Seven potholes as one report with 189 upvotes is infinitely more compelling than seven separate reports with 27 upvotes each.
- Frictionless sharing ask. "One tap on a link" got a much higher response than "please file your own complaint." They made it easy for neighbours to support without having to do anything complex.
What didn't work: their initial attempt to tag the ward Corporator on Twitter. "No response. The community upvote volume is what actually moved it," Komal said.
Replicating This in Your Area
You don't need three people to start — one person with a well-documented report and a message to the right WhatsApp groups can achieve the same result. The template is simple:
- Document thoroughly (photos, dimensions, safety context)
- File one comprehensive CivicIssue report
- Share in relevant local groups with a clear, low-friction ask
- Follow up with the ward office once you cross 100 upvotes
- Upload before/after photos when resolved
The infrastructure for accountability already exists. It just needs citizens willing to use it systematically.