Exclusive | Poll bonanza: BMC approves projects worth Rs 10,000 crore in Mumbai

Civic officials claimed the number of construction project-related proposals tends to increase after the monsoon. Pic/Shadab Khan

With the Assembly poll almost in sight, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) approved infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 10,000 crore, including the Versova-Madh bridge and concreting of roads, between the end of July and late August.

Concreting of roads in the western suburbs worth Rs 4,500 crore was approved in the last week of July. This work is part of the second phase of the civic body's ambitious road concreting project. In July, the BMC also gave the nod for road repair work involving the use of concrete and mastic asphalt in the eastern suburbs worth Rs 1,502 crore.

"The BMC will spend Rs 1,738 crore on the first phase of the city road concreting project. The proposal was approved in the last week of August. We are trying to start this work in October and complete it in two and a half years, an official claimed.

An aerial view of Bellasis bridge on June 25. Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

The BMC manages around 2,050 km of roads in the city. Out of this, 1,224 km is already concreted and work on stretches totalling 309 km has already started. The concreting of another 309 km will start in October," an official stated.

Officials also claimed that during the end of the monsoon, the number of construction project-related proposals tends to increase as work needs to start from October. "There was a possibility of the model code of conduct ahead of the Assembly election being implemented. Once proposals are approved, we can start work even while the code of conduct is in place," the official said.

"Although the amount seems huge, the money will be spent while the projects are being carried out, not in a single year," the official added.
The Versova-Madh flyover, worth Rs 3,246 crore, will be completed in 36 months. The cable-stayed bridge accounts for 600 metres of the 2.06-km-long structure. The BMC has approved the repairs of flyover 7 on the Eastern Express Highway. The civic body will also install anti-crash barriers on a railway crossing bridge.

According to the proposal, BMC will spend Rs 20.04 crore on this. The civic body will spend Rs 77.44 crore to repair the Bellasis bridge approach road
at Grant Road.

Rs 3,246 cr
Cost of Versova-Madh bridge