Other than BMC, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and Public Works Department (PWD) are involved in the task.
Several agencies are involved in the construction and maintenance of the city's road network and bridgework running roughly up to 2,000 km.
Other than BMC, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and Public Works Department (PWD) are involved in the task.
MMRDA, which has built many flyovers including the Eastern Freeway, has transferred their upkeep to BMC. "We are technically a planning agency. After construction, it is the responsibility of the municipal body to maintain it since it is they who collect the property tax," said an MMRDA official. "We maintain roads only in SPA" — special planning agency — "areas like BKC and Wadala. Maintenance of the rest of the roads and bridges we built is with BMC ."
Of the flyovers constructed by MSRDC in the metropolitan, toll is collected for some 50 at the city's five entry points. MSRDC also collects toll for and looks after the 5-km-long Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and maintains JJ flyover.
The PWD maintains the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway between Bandra and Andheri. MMRDA takes over at Andheri till Dahisar, since it is raising the Metro-7 rail corridor on the stretch. PWD also maintains the Sion-Panvel Highway.
New reports testify that a flyover or a road built by one agency develops cracks or sustains damage after it is transferred to another agency for repair and maintenance. For example, the Lalbaug flyover between Parel and Byculla was built by MMRDA and later transferred to BMC for maintenance. After this, when several cracks surfaced, the buck has been passed between MMRDA and BMC.
AV Shenoy, transport expert and member of Mumbai Vikas Samiti, said, "The need of the hour is to have single-point governance where one officials from BMC, preferably an elected mayor of the city, is made accountable for several roads and bridges and coordinating with BMC, MMRDA, MSRDC, PWD and Railways."
Takes 2 To Tango
One road or highway has multiple agencies looking after parts of it, which leaves plenty of scope for shifting responsibility.
'If you can't unify, at least stay in touch'
A retired bureaucrat who is also a former BMC commissioner noted that ideally, a megapolis like Mumbai needed a unified planning authority. But since a dozen are at work, it is imperative for them to coordinate their activities.
"Senior and middle-rung officers must think on their feet and coordinate with their counterparts in other agencies," he said, citing London's example. "There must be a strong nodal authority to ensure the agencies function in tandem. This could be headed either by a minister or an empowered official. Uniform development rules are also necessary," the official said. "Solutions like a directly elected mayor may not work till we have an enlightened citizenry," he said, pointing to how the short-lived mayor in the council system in BMC during a former Sena-BJP regime had proved controversial.
The former IAS officer said after the 26/7 deluge, the state and civic regimes wised up and set in motion projects like BRIMSTOWAD (for storm water drains) and Mithi river clean-up.
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