Mumbai Infrastructure Woes: BMC’s Pending Projects and Voter Concerns for Maharashtra Elections
Mumbai, India’s financial capital, grapples with persistent infrastructure challenges as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) faces delays in key projects. With Maharashtra elections approaching, including BMC polls, voters express growing frustration over unfinished roads, water supply initiatives, and urban renewal efforts.
Road Concretisation Project: A Major Delay
The BMC’s ambitious INR 17,000 crore road concretisation project, launched in January 2023, aimed to transform 2,121 roads across the city into durable concrete surfaces. Originally directed by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to conclude within two years, the initiative has progressed slowly. As of mid-December, only 52% of the work is complete, covering 798 roads spanning 194.39 km.
Post-monsoon efforts resumed on 729 roads totaling 329.21 km, including 586 partially built stretches. However, 737 roads measuring 197.97 km remain untouched, particularly in the island city due to a terminated earlier contract. Western suburbs host most incomplete sections, with 353 roads still pending. The January 2026 deadline has slipped to May 2027, prioritizing unfinished portions amid public criticism.
Water Infrastructure: Gargai Dam Tender Advances Amid Hurdles
Water scarcity remains a pressing issue for Mumbai’s residents. The long-delayed Gargai dam project in Palghar district received a INR 3,000 crore tender, marking progress toward a 69-metre roller-compacted concrete structure and a 1.6 km tunnel to Modak Sagar. Upon completion, it will supply 440 million liters per day, the first major addition since Middle Vaitarna in 2014.
Challenges persist, including forest and wildlife clearances in an eco-sensitive zone. The first year post-contract focuses on permissions and resettling residents from six villages to Devali in Wada taluka, with full infrastructure provided. Core construction follows in year two, and systems installation in year three. Delays here exacerbate voter concerns over reliable water supply during peak demand.
Last-Minute Infra Push Before BMC Polls
Ahead of BMC elections, authorities cleared or fast-tracked nearly INR 10,000 crore in projects. These include the Gargai dam, Byculla-JJ cable-stayed bridge, Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, express highway resurfacing, and a INR 4,000 crore waste management contract. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted INR 2 lakh crore in ongoing Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) initiatives, encompassing metro lines and railways.
Urban renewal measures feature slum redevelopment on plots over 50 acres in areas like Govandi, Antop Hill, and Chembur, alongside increased grievance committees for 2,100 pending complaints. Green projects include a 295-acre Central Park at Mahalaxmi and Thane developments like a viewing tower and snow park.
Completed Projects Offer Some Relief
Not all efforts lag; 2025 saw openings like the Reay Road cable-stayed bridge, improving East-West connectivity and safety. The Titwala road overbridge, spanning 820 metres at INR 100 crore, eases Kalyan traffic. Thane Creek Bridge 3 fully operationalized in June, aiding Sion-Panvel commuters. Metro Aqua Line, Coastal Road connectors, and Navi Mumbai airport enhanced mobility.
Voter Concerns Shaping Electoral Narrative
Mumbai’s 1.4 crore residents endure pothole-ridden roads, flooding, and erratic services, fueling discontent. The road concretisation lag symbolizes broader BMC inefficiencies, with monsoons exposing unfinished work. Water projects like Gargai promise relief but face timeline uncertainties, while waste management tenders aim to modernize Deonar dumping grounds.
As Maharashtra elections near, voters prioritize tangible progress. Slum dwellers seek redevelopment clarity, commuters demand smoother roads, and middle-class families worry about water and green spaces. The pre-poll infra surge raises questions of timing, yet incomplete flagships like concretisation dominate discourse. BMC’s dashboard tracks desilting, e-tenders for waste-to-energy, and coastal road maintenance, but execution gaps persist.
Candidates from major alliances address these woes, promising accelerated timelines and accountability. For instance, coastal road helipads and abattoir modernizations under public-private partnerships signal innovation, but residents gauge success by daily improvements. With polls imminent, infrastructure delivery will sway votes, underscoring the link between civic projects and political fortunes in this bustling metropolis.
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