BJP Corporator Makarand Narwekar Demands South Mumbai's Exclusion From BMC's ₹8,614-Crore Road Concretisation Tender

Mumbai: With South Mumbai's road concretisation works caught in a cycle of contractor failures and delays since 2023, BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar has stepped up pressure on the BMC to overhaul its mega-tender strategy.

Narwekar Demands Ward-Wise Contracts For South Mumbai Roadworks

In a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Narwekar has demanded that South Mumbai be excluded from the latest Rs 8,614-crore road concretisation tender, arguing that the Island City's unique logistical constraints call for smaller, ward-wise contracts rather than another mega tender that could repeat past failures.

The demand comes as the BMC rolls out Phase III of its road concretisation drive through a fresh Rs 8,614-crore tender. The project covers 1,261 roads spanning 313 km across the island city and eastern and western suburbs, besides side strips along 176 roads measuring another 139 km.

South Mumbai Roadworks Remain Incomplete Since 2023, Says Narwekar

Narwekar pointed out that several South Mumbai road works have remained incomplete since 2023 despite successive contractor appointments. "Even the replacement contractor has reportedly failed to deliver, resulting the BMC to scale down the contract's scope. These unfinished stretches have now been included in the latest tender," the letter stated.

Arguing that South Mumbai cannot be treated like the suburbs, Narwekar flagged its narrow roads and lanes, heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic, frequent VIP and security restrictions, limited space for machinery and material storage, and dense underground utility networks. "Such constraints call for smaller, meticulously planned work packages rather than large, consolidated contracts," he said.

Narwekar Proposes Smaller Contracts For Faster Execution And Accountability

He has proposed splitting the works into smaller ward-wise or zone-wise packages to ensure faster execution, greater administrative accountability and swift intervention if contractors fail to deliver.

Clarifying his support for the BMC's target of 100% road concretisation, Narwekar said repeated contractor failures and fresh tendering exercises were only prolonging public hardship.

Meanwhile, four years after the Rs 17,000-crore road concretisation project was announced, the BMC is preparing for another round of works. Tendering for Phase III is expected to conclude by December 2026, with construction likely to begin in January 2027.

Launched on July 23, 2022, following then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's directive to concretise Mumbai's roads within two years, the project has missed its original deadline. Work under the first two phases, covering 717 km, remains underway. The BMC now aims to complete Phase I by December 2026 and Phase II by May 2027. Of Mumbai's approximately 2,000-km road network, over 1,333 km has been concretised so far.

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