The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has run into some troubles with figures showing that out of the Rs 1,198 crore set aside for the Development Plan or DP, the authorities have only spent Rs 5 crore. This amounts to around 0.4% of the total funds kept aside for the project.
The figures also reveal that the authorities spent Rs 1,836 crore on bus service BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport), which amounts to one-third of the total project funding. It’s no secret that BEST has been facing some financial troubles of its own, so the authorities can’t be faulted for trying to give a boost to Mumbaikars’ lifeline.
The proposed Development Plan includes the construction of schools, hospitals, roads, gardens, and other civic amenities for the common citizens. This plan also requires the acquisition of new land, but by prioritizing the development of BEST, one would say that other projects are being left behind.
Explaining why the authorities have only spent Rs 5 crore of the Rs 1,198 crore set aside, a senior officer with the Development Plan told Mid-Day “While earlier the fund was reserved to buy the lands, later it was decided to acquire those lands with TDR (transfer of development rights) and not buy them. Even as per the new decision, only the plots needed for essential work like construction of roads, laying water pipelines etc will be acquired, and plots for optional duties like open spaces are not under acquisition process.”
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