BMC Budget: How civic body plans to spend ₹3,545 crore in 2023 to improve Mumbai's roads

The Coastal Road in south Mumbai is 69% complete. While one tunnel is already ready, boring work for the second tunnel from Girgaon Chowpatty to Priyadarshini Park was 90% finished in Dec 2022.

In the 2023-24 BMC budget, there is an ample allocation of ₹3,545 crore, including a modern traffic management system with CCTV cameras, video managing system, emergency and instant communication systems with the police and fire brigade for 24x7 surveillance.

Riddled with controversies when it kicked off, the project also got permission from the Bombay High Court for underground parking and development of a 70 hectare green belt for recreational facilities.

Pothole-free roads in Mumbai

In the coming year, the focus will equally be on pothole-free roads and flawless footpaths. The BMC has already undertaken road concretisation of 397 km road network, with 9 mt wide pavements which have received an allocation of ₹200 crore.

How BMC plans to improve Mumbai's roads

As per the budget book, the BMC will map footpath facilities with smooth surfaces matching international designs. The roads department has also empanelled urban designers for world-class textures and finish.

Speaking of footpaths, one can’t ignore usurping of pedestrian areas by hawkers. Civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said the creation of a hawkers’ committee is underway to earmark pitches.

For road concreting, the allocation of ₹2,825.06 crore has been made, with another ₹1,060 crore for the key Goregaon-Mulund Link Road Project.