In a bid to make the city more attractive the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked all its 24 wards to beautify major footpaths, traffic islands and open spaces under the flyovers. This comes after specific instructions from the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the city's guardian minister Aaditya Thackeray.
According to a senior engineer from the M West ward, the CM and the guardian minister had asked to beautify major spots of all the wards in the city. "Accordingly, the civic commissioner had asked every ward to forward a proposal for beautifying the spots in their jurisdiction. A detailed presentation was made to the CM and the minister in December last year," the official confirmed to Free Press Journal.
The official further said that the BMC has estimated a provisional budget of around Rs 200 crores for this project, which is expected to be completed by December 2021.
"All wards are asked to complete 50 per cent of beautification project by July this year and the remaining work by December, before the enforcement of model code of conduct for the forthcoming BMC polls," the official said.
Apart from the estimated Rs 200 crore budget, the BMC has also decided to give certain spots to private entities, who are asked to beautify the sites as per their CSR funds and also give the spots under advertising rights.
"For some sites even the MPs or the MLAs and even the corporators would be funding the beautification projects in their constituencies," the official added.
In Chembur (M West ward), the civic authorities have decided to beautify prominent roads, foothpaths, traffic islands and the spaces under two flyovers.
"At least five footpaths, public toilets and traffic islands have been identified for beautification. The open spaces under the Anna Bhau Sathe bridge and the Amar Mahal flyover would be beautified," the official said.
