Civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal is set to present the annual budget on Saturday and it is likely to touch the Rs 50,000-crore mark. It remains to be seen if the administration can think beyond the routine roads and bridges works this time. For the past two decades, the civic body has been spending a major chunk of its infrastructure budget on roads while hospitals, water network, sewage network and environment have largely been neglected.

There is a possibility of announcements of many big projects this time, there may not be new direct taxes on the citizens. Both the current government led by Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis combine and the previous MVA government did not approve the proposal to increase property tax in the past three years. And with the civic election likely to be announced in near future, people may not have to face new taxes. However, water and sewage tax will be increased in June as per the provision.