BMC budget: All roads to be concretised, but where’s the money for it?

There is a 2,050-km network of roads in the city, out of which 990 km are already concretised

Mumbai will have to suffer monsoon potholes for a while longer. Despite claiming that all roads will be concretised in two years, the budget estimates don't have much provision for it. There is a Rs 2,825 crore provision for roads and traffic department including footpaths, beautification of the Gateway, charging stations at public parking areas, multi-level mechanical parking and the Mumbai parking authority. Last year, the provision was Rs 2,100 crore.

There is a 2,050-km network of roads in the city, out of which 990 km are already concretised. The BMC started concretisation of 210 km of roads in January 2022 and completed a tender process of concretisation of 397 km more in 2023 at a cost of Rs 6,080 crore, excluding 18 per cent GST. The BMC claimed it will float another tender for the rest of roads (approximately 450 km ) till May 2023. On September 30, 2022, Civic Commissioner I S Chahal assured the high court that all roads in the city would be concretised in the next two-and-a-half years. Given the cost of the recent tender, the rest of the work may cost more than Rs 7,000 crore, which is far higher than the budget provision.

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"We have made sufficient provision for roads. The funds will last for two years," said Chahal. He added that new CC footpaths with international surface designs will be fast-tracked. "This is a first-of-its-kind initiative taken after suggestions from citizens. All nine-metre roads will have footpaths on both sides." A token provision of Rs 200 crore has been set aside for this work.