Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in a rare burst of activity, sanctioned proposals worth ₹2,000 crore in just 15 days. While this rush is noticed every year before the State budget is presented, this time the upcoming civic polls and the Election Commission’s model code of conduct have added to the urgency.
In what is being termed a historic decision, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta invoked powers under section 49 (c) of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 to call for a special meeting of the standing committee: the first such instance in 20 years.
At the meeting on Thursday, 10 proposals worth over Rs. 320 crore were passed. On January 3, the standing committee had sanctioned proposals worth Rs. 600 crore.
While standing committee meetings are normally held every week, it met twice within two days and has sanctioned proposals worth ₹2,000 crore since December 21, when it had passed proposals worth ₹1,100 crore.
Mr. Mehta said the meeting was called to plan for tackling potholes this rainy season. “Had the civic body waited for calling tenders after the polls, it would have delayed pre-monsoon road works this year. Also, while we normally carry out curative repairs by filling potholes, this time around we are going in for remedial measures to ensure pothole-free roads,” he told the standing committee.
However, work on roads sanctioned now will begin only by April and finish by May 31. before the monsoon. Corporators accused the civic chief of not being able to control road maintenance contractors, resulting in shoddy thoroughfares. Mr. Mehta said contractors’ payments would be withheld and police cases would be filed against them in case of shoddy work.
On Thursday, road works worth nearly ₹74 crore were sanctioned. The BMC has identified 455 chronic spots to work on before the rains to ensure that potholes don’t reappear. At 350 such spots, the entire stretch of road will be repaired. At the same meeting, over ₹202 crore was sanctioned for gardens maintenance and ₹29 crore for modular operation theatres in civic hospitals, which will help in reducing postoperative infection.
The writer is a freelance journalist
