The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has unveiled its budget for 2025–26 with a strong thrust on infrastructure expansion and safeguarding Mumbai’s water supply network. At a time when water contamination concerns have surfaced in cities such as Indore and parts of Haryana, the civic body has prioritised investments aimed at ensuring safe and reliable water access across the metropolis.
The total outlay for the upcoming fiscal stands at Rs 65,703.79 crore, marking a sharp increase from last year’s Rs 57,210 crore. A significant portion of this, Rs 8,477 crore, has been earmarked for water supply projects. The allocation will fund upgrades to aging pipelines, expansion of treatment capacity, and strengthening of distribution systems, particularly in peripheral neighbourhoods where supply has historically been erratic.
Key initiatives include the development of water treatment facilities in Mulund and Bhandup, alongside modernisation of older infrastructure to curb leakages and reduce contamination risks. With rapid population growth in the eastern and western suburbs, authorities are accelerating the construction of additional reservoirs and transmission lines to bridge the widening demand-supply gap.
Infrastructure development extends beyond water. The civic body has set aside Rs 3,500 crore to enhance road connectivity, including coastal and suburban corridors. These upgrades aim to ease congestion and improve travel reliability, especially in flood-prone stretches that face recurring monsoon disruptions.
To finance its ambitious agenda, the corporation plans to intensify property tax collection, targeting revenue growth from Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 16,000 crore. Officials maintain that the budget aligns with Mumbai’s long-term sustainability goals, with parallel investments in waste management and climate-resilient infrastructure designed to support the city’s continued expansion.
Source: The Week
