Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), frequently described as the country’s richest municipal body, is under scrutiny for its low fund utilisation during the 2025–26 financial year, according to the Mumbai Mirror.
Preliminary estimates indicate that nearly 60 to 65% of the total budget outlay of Rs 74,366 crore remains unspent across several departments. Key sectors such as infrastructure, environment, and traffic management have recorded particularly weak spending performance.
Out of the approximately Rs 43,159 crore earmarked for infrastructure projects this year, a substantial share has yet to be deployed. A senior civic official stated that the final expenditure figures will become clear after bills are processed by March 31.
The Environment Department’s performance has drawn specific concern. Of the Rs 113 crore allocated to tackle air pollution and enhance Mumbai’s air quality, around Rs 80 to 85 crore is reportedly still unused. Proposed initiatives—including the procurement of 29 multi-purpose vehicles, installation of 75 low-cost air quality sensors, and development of a citywide monitoring system and dashboard—have not been fully implemented.
“We have placed an order for 29 vehicles, with 35% of the payment already made. The total cost of these vehicles is Rs 79 crore, which includes one year’s operation and maintenance. We are also working on dashboards and other accessories, which will be available to Mumbaikars before May,” a senior departmental official said.
The department, which inducted 41 employees only in October 2025, also cited election-related disruptions in December 2025 and January 2026. “We simply didn’t have the manpower to handle all of this work year-round,” a departmental employee said.
In traffic management, nearly 80% of the Rs 350 crore allocated to ease congestion on the Western and Eastern highways remains unspent, with only two projects completed amid delays in securing approvals.
“The BMC’s failure to utilise the budgetary funds directly indicates that work has not been done, and Mumbaikars are bearing the brunt of it,” said Kishori Pednekar, Leader of the Opposition in BMC.
Source: Swarajya
