Mumbai: As part of its beautification plan, the BMC is planning to paint the financial capital in different hues, giving each of its 24 administrative wards a different colour code.
As a pilot project, the civic body will implement the codes by assigning individual colours to 15 wards in the suburbs; this will be done with the help of funds from the suburban district collector; later, the project will be extended to other wards in the city.
As a part of this spruce-up, road signage, footpaths, dividers, railings etc. will be painted in a colour assigned to that particular ward. Each of these 15 wards has been asked to identify a prominent chowk in their area to kick-start the project.
Dr Sangeeta Hasnale, BMC’s Assistant Municipal Commissioner (Planning), said, “The project is in its preliminary stage and we are still looking at ways to implement it with maximum involvement of all stakeholders.”
According to a senior BMC official, ward officers and engineers of these 15 wards have been asked to give an estimate of the cost that will be incurred for the project, which will include revamping and then the colour coding.
“Once we receive the budget estimates, we will get a sanction from the collector’s office. The idea is to take suggestions from experts/ senior civic officials and citizens on what colour should be given to their ward; because, once assigned, the colour code will be the identity of that particular ward,” said a senior BMC official.
BMC officials claimed that to boost the citizen's happiness index the civic body will also deal with the issue of illegal/ double parking near footpaths and pavements, dangling wires and heaps of garbage deposited on the sides of roads, etc.
A citizen’s group, however, said the special plan will be of no help to the city or its citizens. James John, co-ordinator of NGO AGNI and an Andheri resident, said, “The BMC has certain obligatory duties like providing good roads, proper sanitation facilities, etc.
How will this special plan help them discharge their obligatory duties? As a citizen I want my roads to be pothole-free, fewer bottlenecks and lesser traffic snarls, no illegal hoardings and no garbage lying on the road.
Reaching home on time and having proper sanitation will make us happy, not a colour code for my ward.”
Anandini Thakoor, an activist from the H west ward (Bandra, Khar) said, “This colour coding plan seems stupid. They could have instead had a colour coding for ward and government offices, making it easier for citizens to identify them. They need to concentrate on other issues that actually need their attention.”
Meanwhile, BMC awaits estimates from ward offices to see how feasible the colour-coding plan will be for the city.
