BMC UNVEILS SOBER BUDGET
Even With A Budget Of Rs 19,932 Cr, A 18.42% Rise From Last Year’s Rs 16,831 Cr, No New Projects Have Been Slated
ROADS
Rs 50 crore slotted for underground parking
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The BMC has allocated Rs 1,321 crore for roads, bridges and traffic signals, though the amount falls short by Rs 5 crore when compared to last year’s budget. Around Rs 450 crore has been allocated to the concretisation roads, and another Rs 546 crore for asphalting roads in 2009-10.
In the coming financial year, the BMC intends to concretise 50km of the city’s roads. It also plans to asphalt 150km. “Now, the BMC is following certain desirable procedures for designing and testing,’’ said N V Merani, chairman, standing technical advisory committee. But while the corporation is chugging along in its roadwork projects, its free usage of paver blocks instead of asphalt and concrete has not been well received. “The money spent on paver blocks has, by and large, been wasted. Paver blocks are being laid in areas where they are not required,’’ said Merani.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE Rs 1,321.35 cr
The civic body will also take up repair and reconstruction of bridges, and construct new subways at a cost of Rs 229 crore. The focus is on underground parking lots, with Rs 50 crore allocated to their construction at Crawford Market, Hutatma Chowk and Regal Cinema to Jehangir Art Gallery.
The corporation has set aside Rs 30 crore for the improvement of pavements. Seven international agencies have also been appointed to create street furniture (benches, railings, etc), and Rs 1 crore has been allocated to this project.WATER SUPPLY
Middle Vaitarna Dam tops the to-do list
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
With the water crisis looming large over Mumbai, the BMC has increased its budget provision in this department, from Rs 2,196 crore (last year’s funds) to Rs 2,352 crore. The construction of the Middle Vaitarna Dam tops its to-do list. The corporation has The civic body is also planning to improve the water distribution network within the city, and has budgeted Rs 193 crore for the laying of 83km of new water pipelines. A total of Rs 110 crore will be used to repair existing water mains. The cleaning of wells and tube wells is also a priority, for which the BMC will spend Rs 6 crore. The corporation will also purchase 10 water tankers at a cost of Rs 2 crore, bringing its fleet to 22. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE Rs 2,353.37 cr made a provision of Rs 250 crore for the construction of the dam, and work is expected to start in October this year. However, the date of completion has been postponed from 2011 to April 2012. A provision of Rs 280 crore has been made for the laying of the 36.5km long pipelines that will transport the water from the dam to the city. Another Rs 610 crore has been budgeted for works related to the Middle Vaitarna Water Supply Project. Despite an additional 100 million litres daily (MLD) recently sanctioned for the city from Bhatsa Dam, the BMC has been unable to bring the water to the city as the pipelines are still to be laid. This year, the civic body has provided Rs 158 crore to complete the work.