BMC Budget 2025 at a glance: Major takeaways for Mumbaikars

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC on Tuesday presented its highestever budget for the fiscal year 202526 The Mumbais civic body presented its budget of Rs 74427 crore for the year 202526The additional municipal commissioners presented the budget to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani who is the stateappointed administrator of the civic body at the BMC headquarters in MumbaiThe budget estimate for FY 202526 is proposed at Rs 7442741 crore which exceeds the budget estimates of 202425 ie Rs 6518079 crore by 1419 per cent the document readsHerersquos how the BMC Budget will impact MumbaikarsTax on slum businessesThe BMC aims to assess around 50000 commercial establishments in slums for property tax expected to generate Rs 350 crore to improve services and infrastructure for slum dwellersTransportation and Commercial HubThe proposed Transportation and Commercial Hub at Dahisar Check Naka is situated on the Western Express Highway In this project lodging arrangements are planned for convenience of passengers arriving from other States to Mumbai Additionally commercial offices parking space for passenger vehicles and other similar facilities are proposed A star category hotel with 456 passenger bus parking 1424 motor vehicle parking and 131 rooms is proposed in said projectRoads and traffic departmentThe BMC has allocated Rs 5100 crore for road and traffic infrastructure improvements BMC is striving to complete the construction of ROBs at Vikhroli Bridge Nahur Bridge Phase1 Gokhale Bridge and Carnac Bridge before monsoon and open the same for traffic Also the contract period for the work of Belasis Bridge is till April 2026 But BMC intends to complete the same before stipulated timeline and open it for trafficby the end of 2025Multilevel robotic car parkingWork orders have been issued for 194 capacity multilevel car parking near Apsara Pen Shop Flora Fountain Hutatma Chowk in A Ward Also tender process for 640 four wheelers and 112 two wheeler space at Worli Engineering Hub in GS ward and contractor has been appointed In future the parking space available will be for 834 vehicles The budget provision for the proposed work is Rs 200 crorelsquoUniversal Footpath Policyrsquo is already formulated and proposed to be implemented in Greater Mumbai focusing on creating more pedestrian friendly and differentially abled friendly footpathsExpansion of free healthcare servicesThe BMC has established 250 Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray ndash Aapla Dawakhana clinics including 33 polyclinics and diagnostic centres offering free medical checkups medication and blood tests Since their launch these facilities have benefited nearly 90 lakh patients In the upcoming financial year the civic body plans to open 25 more Aapla Dawakhana clinics and three physiotherapy centres to further expand healthcare accessRecreationBMC has acquired 10 acre amenity plot adjacent to Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan amp Zoo Under Zoo extension project it is proposed to develop exhibits for various exotic species like Giraffe Zebra White Lion Jaguar etc on this plot A bird exhibit at proposed satellite facility of Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo at MulundA separate tollfree helpline number for information about bookingsreservations and complaints regarding activities such as swimming pools theatres zooA lumpsum provision of Rs 25 crore is proposed in BE 202526 for providing various infrastructural facilities in order to develop Koliwadas in the city of Mumbai and to attract touristsGarden Department301 Gardens 358 Playgrounds 484 Recreation grounds and 1 Shilpgram maintained by BMCA total of 4416 trees proposed to be planted on 17 different plotsHinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Urban Greening Project ndash Contractor has been appointed and Letter of Acceptance LOA is issued to plant Bamboo trees on open space near service road along Eastern Express HighwayIt is planned to develop lsquoMumbai Public Parkrsquo on a combined plot including 12012 acre land taken over from The Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd and 170 acre land out of total land reclaimed under Mumbai Coastal Road South Project Out of this consultant is appointed to prepare the design for 12012 acre Mahalaxmi Race Course land Also Expression of Interest EOI for development on about 170 acre land is invited from eligible and reputed companies as a Volunteer Agency without any financial commitment of BMCGoregaon Mulund Link Road In PhaseIII a noninvasive solution ie Tunnels under Aarey and Sanjay Gandhi National Park is being implemented to enable preservation of cityrsquos green forests and its lakesAnandvan Green Belt BMC intends to develop lsquoAnandvan Green Beltrsquo along the periphery of Sanjay Gandhi National Park between Borivali to Goregaon Natural stone pathway for citizens alongwith tree plantation on both sides and biotoilets will be included in this initiativeSupport for BEST undertakingDespite high funding requirements for its projects the BMC has allocated Rs 1000 crore as a grant to the BEST Undertaking continuing financial support since 201213 The BMC mentioned that since 201213 it has provided Rs 1130459 crore in financial assistance to BEST An amount of Rs 992 crore is sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission for the purchase of electric buses Out of this Rs 49338 crore is already received and disbursed to BEST UndertakingWorli plot auction for private developmentIn order to generate revenue from BMC plots BMC has taken a policy decision to auction BMC plots under 10037 Annual Statement of Rates ASR Accordingly it is decided to auction BMC plot at Asphalt Plant Worli on lease for development through private developersEducational infrastructure enhancementsBMC unveiled an annual education budget of Rs 395564 crore for the Financial Year 202425 on Tuesday morning The civic body has augmented funds allocated for education by approximately Rs 630 crore compared to last FYs budget revised estimate of Rs 332155 croreMission SAMPURN For overall development of students it is decided to implement lsquoMission SAMPURNrsquo School Infrastructure Admission Merit Productivity Universalisation Responsibility Nutrition and Health from academic year 202526Purak Poshan Aahar Supplementary Nutrition Education Department intends to provide Supplementary Nutrition along with midday meal to the students of BMC schools from Nursery to 10th Std for physical development of the students