The BMC’s 2025–26 Budget, which is scheduled to be presented on Tuesday, is unlikely to include any new large-scale projects given its current infrastructure projects and financial obligations of over Rs 2 lakh crore.
Instead, attention would continue to be directed towards the completion of ongoing projects including the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, the Mumbai Coastal Road (North) from Versova to Bhayander, and sewerage treatment plants (STPs).
Given its limited financial resources, the BMC has suggested using corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs to finance the creation of open spaces along the recently opened coastline road.
The first budget under municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani will be for 2025–2026. It is anticipated that this budget will increase funding for important departments like roads and bridges, where significant projects like the mega road concretisation project and the reconstruction of the Gokhale bridge in Andheri and the Carnac bridge in south Mumbai are already underway.
Officials predict a significant rise in spending over the next two years due to the scope of ongoing infrastructure projects. According to local sources, the BMC had presented a budget of Rs 60,000 crore for the current fiscal year, but updated projections have already exceeded this amount.
With growing expenses and little financial flexibility, the company must strike a balance between managing the costs of its massive projects and continuing to provide citizens with crucial services.
Anil Galgali, an RTI campaigner, stated that the BMC must exercise financial restraint. “The BMC needs to judiciously spend public money and focus on providing civic services to the best of its ability as that is also its core function,” said Galgali.
For the current fiscal year, the BMC has collected Rs 4,653 crore in property taxes. According to a civic assessment department official, the budget estimate was changed from Rs 4,950 crore to Rs 6,200 crore, which was the amount allocated in the previous budget.
Source: The Times of India