Mumbai: Facing a “financial crisis”, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed to have spent only 45 per cent of its budget allocated in 2019-20 fiscal year. However, several big-ticket projects such as the waste-to-energy plant at Deonar, the Tansa cycling tracks, Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP), Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) are developing at a snail’s pace.
In 2019-20 fiscal, the civic body had presented a budget of Rs 30,692 crore, however, BMC could spend only less than half of the total budget till Dec 31, 2019. As BMC present’s its budget for the year 2020-21 on Tuesday, the Free Press Journal gives you a lowdown of some of its big-ticket projects.
Goregaon Mulund link road: Another mega-project aimed to improve connectivity between the east and the west. However, the BMC has not spent any of that amount owing to delayed permissions and removal of encroachments. The road widening to facilitate GMLR ran into over 240 illegal structures in Bhandup and Mulund. When completed the GMLR will be a huge relief to the existing traffic congestions on the three link roads in MMR and on Ghodbunder road in Thane.
Total Cost: Rs 4700 crores
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 100 crores.
Coastal Road Project: Commenced in October 2018, the ambitious coastal road project was envisaged for completion within four years since it commenced. The work on the project, connecting south Mumbai to the suburbs had been in the pipeline for over a decade now. However even after it commenced in 2018, the project faced a five-month set back after work was stayed by the Bombay high court. After Mobilising the labourers the authorities are now awaiting a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) of 12.19-meter width. Despite all the legal entangles and stay, the authorities are looking at completing the 10 km between marines drive and Worli by 2022.
Total Cost: Rs 12,000 crores
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 1600.07 crores.
Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP): One of the most prestigious projects of the civic body — MSDP, under which six sewage treatment plants are set to be upgraded is stuck too. MSDP had hit a hurdle following an order from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which asked the civic body to change its pollution standard.
Total Cost: Rs 14,000 crore.
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 474 crores.
Tansa Cycle track: Facing encroachment issues and lack of access in many parts has led to the BMC’s pet project ‘Tansa cycling track’ move at a snail pace. The 36 km long cycling track along the Tansa Pipeline from Mulund to Wadala is supposed to be completed in three phases. The civic body is struggling to remove encroachments enroute the project. Currently, the work on two phases in going on. The third and final phase will include beautification around the track.
Total Cost: Rs 488 crore.
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 120 crores.
River Rejuvenation Project: BMC had undertaken rejuvenation of Mithi, Dahisar, Poisar and Oshiwara river in 2018. Project Management consultants were appointed. However, the progress of the project has been stagnant. Meanwhile, residents groups and NGOs like River march have staged a series of protest against the civic body for failing to implement the project as rivers continue to die.
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20:
Mithi: Rs 115 crores
Dahisar, Poisar, and Oshiwara: Rs. 5.20 crore.
New Water Sources: In a bid to augment Mumbai’s water supply by 865 MLD, BMC had planned to develop Gargai, Pinjal and the Damanganga-Pinjal link projects. Hit due to requisite clearance, a few components of the project has been delayed by a few months.
Total Cost: Rs. 3105 crores
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 122.90 crores.
Deonar Waste to Energy project: Almost seven years after the Bombay High Court asked the BMC to shut the Deonar dumping ground, the civic body in January 2020 finalised a contractor to set up the much-awaited waste-to-energy plant there. The said contractor will be carrying out the first phase of converting 600 metric tonnes (MT) of waste into energy daily.
Total Cost: 600 crores.
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: Rs 100 crores.
LED lights: In 2015, BMC had decided to replace all its streetlights with LED lights, with a view to save electricity costs and to save energy consumption. The project finally flagged off in 2018-19. The civic body had aimed to convert 1,05,300 Led lights.
Total Cost: Rs. 130 crores (Cost of the first Phase)
Budgetary allocation in 2019-20: 50 crores
What BMC budget 2020-21 is likely to focus on
With a fall in its income from revenue sources, the size of budget 2020-21 is not likely to see much increase. The budget will have a major chunk of this allocation diverted to big-ticket projects. Due to dipping revenue, many of the civic departments will be facing a cut in their capital expenditure, sources said.
Meanwhile, the civic body is looking at CSR tie-ups for improving street furniture and the cleanliness quotient of the city.
Official speak:
“Some of the big-ticket projects have not started,and some are delayed in the absence of requisite clearances and problems such as removal of encroachment or land acquisition, etc. We are trying to expedite the work. In the upcoming budget, we will make additional provisions for these projects and our priority will be the completion of the ongoing projects,” a senior BMC official said.
