Ahead of the presentation of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Budget, mid-day spoke to residents and activists across the city’s seven civic zones to gauge their priorities and expectations. In 2024, the civic body presented a budget of Rs 59,954.75 crore. This year, it is expected to cross the Rs 65,000-crore mark.
Mumbaikars demanded that funds be allocated to improve civic infrastructure and deal with the hawker menace to make the city more pedestrian-friendly. Mentioning the awful traffic congestion witnessed across the city these days, one resident pointed out that 250 roads mentioned in the Development Plan several years ago were yet to be constructed.
Arthur Menezes, Borivli West resident
Profession: businessman
Expectations:
>> The concreting of roads should be expedited in order to ensure that citizens are not inconvenienced
>> The hawker menace in the suburbs should be dealt with promptly to ensure footpaths and roads are cleared for pedestrians and vehicles
>> The problem of illegal slums must be addressed as they drain the resources of wards
Shaheen Desai, Thakur Village, Kandivli resident
Profession: Activist
Expectations:
>> We are constantly dug up and garbage accumulation is a major issue. The accumulated trash leads to waterlogging during the rainy season. Laws should be introduced to curb noise pollution. The BMC should also introduce anti-single-use-plastic measures
Dhaval Shah, Andheri West resident
Profession: Businessman
Expectations:
>> The fire station at Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri West should be completed on a war footing. The Development Plan (DP) was made in 1991 but the fire station has not been constructed
>> Timelines for completing bridges and roads should be strictly adhered to so that people do not face issues
>> Stricter norms should be put in place so that haphazard construction and demolition are brought under control to mitigate air pollution
Sachin Manjrekar, resident of Pantnagar, Ghatkopar
Profession: Businessman
Expectations:
>> The dumping ground here stinks terribly, contributing to air pollution. This issue should be tackled on a war footing
>> Collection and segregation of dry garbage should be done properly
>> Illegal extensions of shops on footpaths should be demolished to make areas more pedestrian-friendly
Madhura Tawde, resident of Ghatkopar West
Profession: Advocate
Expectations:
>> Protecting mangroves should be the topmost priority for the civic body and more funds must be allocated for this purpose
Jitendra Gupta, Kurla resident
Profession: Businessman
Expectations:
>> Complete the concreting of city roads quickly
>> Twenty years have passed since the plan to drain and beautify the Mithi river was made but no action has been taken
>> There should be permanent designated zones for hawkers so that they do not encroach upon roads and footpaths. All municipal markets should also be upgraded
Nikhil Desai, resident of King’s Circle, Matunga
Profession: Retired engineer
Expectations:
>> BEST bus frequency should be increased
>> Long-pending issues like dumping sewage water in the sea need to be taken up on priority
>> BMC hospital and school infrastructure should be improved
Ashok Gupta, Marine Drive resident
Profession: Landlord of a building in Marine Lines
Expectations:
>> Footpaths and roads that are in bad shape need to be repaired
>> The drainage system needs to be rectified on a war footing as sewage is being dumped directly into the ocean
Expectations:
>> The BMC must focus on health, clean air, transport and schools instead of spending funds wastefully
>> Upgrade municipal hospitals, improve waste management and control diseases like dengue and malaria through regular fumigation
>> Upgrading BMC school infrastructure to ensure better learning environments for our children
‘All civic facilities need to be upgraded on war footing’
“Municipal markets should be upgraded for the convenience of residents. Health and education infrastructure should be improved. The infrastructure of civic-run schools needs to be much better to be at the level of private schools”
Sanjay Gurav, South Mumbai resident
“There are 250 DP roads which have still not been constructed in Mumbai, causing a major traffic problem. These roads should be allocated funds and constructed so that traffic congestion is relieved”
Gopal Javeri, Borivli resident
Rs 59,954.75cr
Value of the BMC’s budget for 2024-25
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