Unkept promises, unkempt city

The latest civic budget presented by the civic chief is the same budget as last year, akin to “old wine in new bottle”.  There is little that is new in the budget to please the Mumabaikar.

Last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had made provisions for a series of projects, much of which remain unspent. This time too, his budget for 2009-10 is full of plans with little to say how they will be accomplished. Here’s a look at some such projects:

Heritage walk
The BMC failed to start the heritage walk programme, for which it had allocated Rs2 crore last year. The BMC had then decided to develop pavements and other street fixtures in tune with the heritage buildings in the city. But with the heritage walk not taking a single step forward, the BMC is providing Rs1 crore for it this year.

Garbage Collection
The BMC had declared that garbage bins would “vanish” from the roads. It approved a cleanliness and sanitation law, making it compulsory to segregate wet and dry garbage, and which was to be collected from door-to-door. The BMC had promised to reach 90% of households in a year; it managed half that figure. This year, the BMC aims to reach the 90% target.

Pumping stations
To avoid the Mumbaikar’s nightmare of water-logged streets during the monsoons, the Chitale Committee had last year recommended building four new pumping stations at Love Grove (Worli), Haji Ali, Cleveland Bunder (Versova), and Irla Nala. The BMC allocated Rs345 crore and could start work only at Haji Ali and Irla Nala. Work will be taken up the remaining two this year.

Crawford Market
The BMC had proposed the makeover of the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule alias Crawford Market building and allocated Rs5 crore in its last year’s budget. But little came of the proposal and the Rs5 crore has been re-allocated.

Disaster Management
In an attempt to warn citizens about emergencies, the civic body has proposed to install sirens at various places in the city. A web portal called Mumbai Voice has also been proposed, which will provide information about mishaps and incidents. Suggestions will be received on this portal for preparation of a disaster management plan.

Cyclone shelters have been proposed in four different locations of the city for citizens trapped during such disasters. These shelters will run municipal schools when the situation is normal. It is proposed to install wireless addressable fire detection system at ward offices, hospitals, schools for disaster management cell at head office.

Underground parking
To overcome the problem of traffic congestion, the BMC has decided to develop underground parking lots below the land reserved for recreation/playground and development plan roads. The budgetary provision for the same is Rs50 crore.

A master plan is being prepared and underground parking lots based on design, build, operate, and transfer will be constructed near the Mahatma Phule Market, Hutatma Chowk, and from Regal Cinema to the Jehangir Art Gallery. Off street parking lots in private plots can be made available to BMC to offset the acute scarcity of parking spaces.

Education
It is proposed to start two junior colleges in science and a provision of Rs3 crore has been made. To ensure cleanliness in the schools, housekeeping activities will be outsourced. The BMC proposes to e-connect 465 schools year and the supply of free flavoured milk, textbooks, uniforms, and shoes will continue.

Girls will receive Re1 per day of attendance, which will be distributed every three months.  Students in municipal schools can look forward to meeting their favourite cricket stars this year as the Mumbai Cricket Association has decided to impart cricketing skills free of cost this year.

Water
The dream of 24/7 water supply continues under the banner of the Sujal Mumbai Abhiyan and emphasis is on water conservation. A programme to detect, and arrest, leakages to save water will be made. To promote the judicious use of water, the telescopic rate system will continue.

The BMC has reiterated that new buildings with a plot area of more than 100 square metres will have to implement rainwater harvesting schemes. Existing wells will be cleaned and tube wells will be available for water. Ten more tankers will be purchased to supply water in emergency situations.

Health
To lure the middle classes to municipal hospitals, a pilot project is being undertaken to set up a maternity and children hospital along the lines of private nursing homes. This will come up at Magathane in Borivili east and where the cost will be Rs500 for deliveries and Rs50 per day for a bed for children.

Redevelopment of centenary hospitals and super speciality centres at Kandivili, Cooper, Bhagwati and a new building at Govandi are also on the cards besides allocation of Rs5 crore for developing of Ajgaonkar plot at Jogeshwari east for a 266 bed trauma hospital. Free wood will be provided in cemeteries and at burial gournds.

City Beautification
Madame Tussauds comes to Mumbai! The BMC is providing Rs5 crore to build a wax museum in the city. Neglected city beaches such as Chimbai in Bandra and the Worli beach will be beautified, with provisions of Rs2 crore and Rs1 crore respectively. The work of widening and reconstruction the Irla nullah from Juhu to the Milan subway has been undertaken under the Brimstowad project.

A cycle track will be developed along the nullah by providing 2 meters wide pathway with coloured paver blocks. Cyclists can look forward to safe rides with railings provided along the pathway. A provision of Rs5 crore has been made for the cyclist track.