December 16, 2025: In the run-up to the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Mumbai’s civic body has rolled out a slate of major infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 10,000 crore, with tenders floated just before the election model code of conduct came into force. The initiatives span water supply, transport, road connectivity and waste management, signalling a last-minute acceleration of capital works.
Among the key projects is the long-pending Gargai Dam in Palghar, which has now been fast-tracked after years of delay. The project, stalled during the Maha Vikas Aghadi tenure, has received a fresh push under the Mahayuti government. With a project cost of Rs 3,040 crore, the dam is expected to add 450 million litres per day to Mumbai’s water supply, building on the Middle Vaitarna Dam completed in 2014.
The BMC has also awarded a Rs 1,041-crore contract to an Ashoka Buildcon joint venture for constructing a cable-stayed bridge connecting Byculla’s Y-Bridge with the JJ Bridge. The 850-metre bridge, designed to ease congestion in Byculla and Mazgaon, will feature two arms linking the Olivant Bridge and improve access to the Eastern Freeway and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, while bypassing traffic-heavy junctions on JJ Road. The project is expected to be completed within two years.
Another major initiative is the fourth phase of the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR). The BMC has floated a Rs 1,293-crore tender for the Mulund-to-Airoli toll naka stretch. Once completed, the 12.2-km GMLR will connect the Western Express Highway at Goregaon to the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund, reducing travel time from 75 minutes to about 25 minutes. The four-phase project carries a total estimated cost of Rs 14,000 crore.
In addition, resurfacing work on the Eastern and Western Express Highways has begun at a cost of Rs 120 crore to improve road quality and commuter safety.
Separately, the BMC has finalised a Rs 4,000-crore service-based waste management contract covering outsourced cleaning and transportation across 21 wards. The deal was concluded after negotiations brought bid values down from 30–60% above estimates to 14–16%, marking a significant cost rationalisation.
Together, these projects underline a broad infrastructure push by the civic body ahead of the BMC elections.
Source: The Free Press Journal
