Maharashtra schoolgirls' satirical pothole report goes viral, authorities fix road

Armed with a mobile phone and an umbrella cleverly turned into a makeshift microphone, the girls documented the poor condition of a road they take to their school in Raigad. Neha Ghare, Jyotsna Mukane and Mansi Pawar, all 15, are studying in the 10th.

With the onset of monsoon, potholes and muddy patches made daily commute particularly difficult for residents, especially school children. That’s when the three friends decided to draw attention to the problem in a way that was both humorous and sharp-witted.

What Happened

In the video, Neha took up the role of a reporter, using an umbrella as a microphone as she interviewed Jyotsna about the condition of the road. Mansi filmed the entire segment with a mobile phone.

• That’s when the three friends decided to draw attention to the problem in a way that was both humorous and sharp-witted.

• With the onset of monsoon, potholes and muddy patches made daily commute particularly difficult for residents, especially school children.

• Neha Ghare, Jyotsna Mukane and Mansi Pawar, all 15, are studying in the 10th standard.

Key Details

Their mock news report captured the potholes and muddy stretches while using satire to depict how difficult travelling on the road had become. As the video went viral, the local administration took note and the road was subsequently repaired.

• Armed with a mobile phone and an umbrella cleverly turned into a makeshift microphone, the girls documented the poor condition of a road they take to their school in Raigad.

• Three schoolgirls from Maharashtra have turned their daily struggle with potholes into a satirical ground report as a video of it has now gone viral on social media.

• For the three Class 10 students, what began as a creative way to document the road outside their homes ended up reaching millions of people and, more importantly, getting the road fixed.

Why It Matters

The girls have since received praise from their families, villagers and political leaders for speaking up about an issue affecting their community. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is also expected to meet the students.

• Their parents, meanwhile, are proud that the girls chose to highlight a civic issue affecting them and others around them.

• Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is also expected to meet the students.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge