Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) witnessed an unprecedented and politically charged budget session this year at its heritage Corporation Hall. Out of 237 corporators, 188—including 10 nominated members—actively participated, transforming the 94-hours debate into a contest of competing priorities. The Rs. 80,952.56 crore budget for 2026–27 was finally approved at 1.16 a.m. on Friday after intense deliberations. However, the opposition, led by Shiv Sena (UBT), staged a walkout in protest, alleging unequal and politically motivated distribution of development funds.
For the first time in its history, proceedings at the Civic House were live-streamed over 12 days. During the budget discussions, Opposition members demanded stricter fiscal discipline and a fairer allocation of funds, while the ruling party defended its development agenda and spending priorities. The general body meeting—held after nearly four years following the end of administrator-led rule—marked the return of elected corporators. Representatives from 26 administrative wards raised pressing civic issues from their respective areas, drawing the administration’s attention to local concerns and service gaps.
On Friday, concluding the 12-hour budget debate, leaders of all parties and chairperson of special committees presented their views in the Civic House. MNS group leader Yashwant Killedar highlighted pending dues of Rs. 10,998 crore from the state government and asked what steps had been taken for recovery. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi claimed that of the Rs. 2,000 crore earmarked for civic amenities, only Rs. 70 crore was spent in the last four years. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Amey Ghole defended the administration, stating that development work was carried out without tax hikes during the administrator-led period and rejected criticism over utilisation of fixed deposits (FDs). BJP leader and Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar said fixed deposits stood at Rs. 91,690 crore in 2021 due to limited pandemic-era development work, and have since reduced to Rs. 77,905 crore in 2026, adding that the funds were used for infrastructure projects like road concretisation rather than kept idle.
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Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide assured that all suggestions made by corporators would be taken seriously. Mayor Ritu Tawde said, “A budget is a framework that strengthens democratic values. Therefore, our participation in this discussion is not merely attendance, but a meaningful deliberation on the development of Mumbai.” The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation approved the budget for FY 2026–27, with the Opposition staging a walkout during the proceedings. A key highlight of the budget was the reallocation of Rs. 800 crore towards a dedicated development fund.
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