BMC sets aside Rs 7,774 crore for better roads in Mumbai

Mumbaikars have a reason to smile, as the civic body while presenting its budget for 2014-2015 has promised better roads. And keeping that promise in mind, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has set aside Rs 7,774 crore for the next three years to ensure that Mumbaikars drive across smooth, pothole-free roads in the coming future.

Criticised repeatedly for the poor condition of the roads and facing several court cases, the civic body has ideated a master plan to improve the quality of the roads. While presenting the budget, the BMC said they were planning to repair and reconstruct 1,200 kilometres of roads.

Interestingly, the civic body spent Rs 4,000 crore over the last five years to concretise 150 kilometres of roads and asphalting of 450 km but in this budget it has announced that Rs 7,774 crore would be spent to improve the roads in the next three years. Officials said that work would be carried out in phases and that Rs 2,500 crore will be kept aside for the first year, which is 2014-2015.

Voices
As per our master plan, work will be carried out in phases and for the first year (2014-15) Rs 2,500 crore will be spent on the improvement of roads. Earlier, we used to make budget provisions and then plan the roads that needed repairs and then issue the tenders. But this is not the case this year. - Sitaram Kunte, municipal commissioner

This is a very ambitious project that the BMC has come up with regarding roads, keeping in mind that in the last five years, there weren't able to maintain the quality and were unable to provide even 50 per cent better roads to citizens. The administration is aiming to complete 1,200 km of road, which is a big task for them. - Dilip Lande, standing committee member and MNS corporator

Rs 4,000 cr
The amount spent over the last five years on road repairs

150 km
Length of roads that were concretised in the last 5 years