Mumbai: Roads, SWD and Bridges departments to get Rs 600 crore

Motorists navigate potholes on Bandongri service road, Kandivli, on October 10. The Roads department is likely to utilise about Rs 39 crore for improvements of minor roads. Pic/Satej Shinde

Months after transferring the funds from Roads, SWD and Bridges departments for COVID-19 preparedness, the BMC has decided to divert about Rs 600 crore of the emergency infrastructure funds to them.

The three departments are on the verge of exhausting their allotted funds for various development work. The Roads and Storm Water departments have used up more than 96 per cent of their funds. They have decided to take up several projects that were on hold until last year owing to the pandemic.

A proposal for fund diversion will be tabled before the standing committee for approval on Thursday. As the civic elections are due early next year, the proposal has been brought to ensure that the development works are not delayed due to lack of funds, said BMC officials.

According to the proposal, Roads and Traffic, Bridges, and Storm Water Drains (SWD) are to each get Rs 200 crore. In his 2021-22 budget speech in February, municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had made a provision of Rs 600 crore in emergency infrastructure funds.

Breakup of proposed diversion

According to the BMC's data till October 26, a provision of Rs 1,178.14 crore was made in the 2021-22 budget for the Roads and Traffic department to execute capital works. So far, it has utilised Rs 1,152.76 crore and is left with only Rs 25.38 crore. Similarly, out of Rs 505.14 crore allocated for SWD works, only Rs 17.78 crore is left. The Bridges department is left with Rs 74.60 crore of Rs 444.93 crore.

Once the proposal is approved, the Roads department is likely to utilise about Rs 102 crore for concretisation of roads and junctions, Rs 39 crore for improvements of minor roads, whereas the Bridges department requires about Rs 200 crore for repair, demolition, construction and new construction of various bridges, escalators in subways.

A major part of the funds allocated to the SWD department will be spent on making the city flood-free by widening and reconstructing storm water drains, diverting nullahs and constructing pumping stations. One of the promises of the ruling Shiv Sena to the citizens.

"We are expecting a lot of expenditure, as the works are progressing and there is also additional pressure of starting various pending works because the elections are nearing. Hence payments to contractors will have to be released. Thus, looking at the current financial state, the transfer of funds is essential for these departments," a civic official said.

Rs 200
Amount in crore that each dept will get