The winning alliance of the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Republican Party of India (RPI), which has trounced the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance, has a daunting task at hand — fulfilling the promises it made in its manifesto ahead of the February 16 elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Initial estimates suggest the combine would need more than Rs 50,000 crore in next five years to meet its election promises. BJP, which has surprised Shiv Sena and its critics by winning 32 seats, has demanded a special package for Mumbai from the state and central governments and a permission to raise money by issuing bonds.
The alliance had assured of more than 100 projects in the manifesto. Some of its promises include the completion of irrigation projects with water storage capacity of 3,645 million litre per day (MLD) during 2012 and 2021, converting tar roads into concrete ones and the construction of 14 flyovers besides Jogeshwari-Goregaon in the western suburbs, and the construction of parking spaces, considering 300 vehicles hit the city roads per day. Besides, they also promised the completion of the Mumbai Sewage Water process project and the ambitious Brimstowad Internal projects by 2013 to tackle floods. Further, the combine also promised to give away houses or compensation, according to the ready recknor, to Mumbaikars affected by the different municipal projects. However, there is a rider that only those project-affected people who have 15 years of inhabitation would be entitled to compensation.
What we have promised in the manifesto is something we can achieve. We have not made extraordinary claims,” said Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray. The statement is important, especially as the civic body faces challenges in carrying out development works despite an annual budget of over Rs 21,000 crore. Besides, the ruling combine would have to pay attention to curbing pilferages.
Atul Bhatkhalkar, general secretary of BJP’s Mumbai unit told Business Standard: “We are aware that implementation of projects proposed in our manifesto would need huge investments. My party will make a formal demand with the state and central governments for a special package or dispensation for Mumbai, considering the constraints in carrying developments due to the city’s geographical position. The special package can be on the lines of the National Urban Renewal Mission, but it should consider BMC’s viewpoints and requirements.” He informed his party had already made a submission to the state finance commission in this regard.
Bhatkhalkar said his party would make a fresh appeal to the Congress-led state government for allowing the civic body to raise the much-needed funds by issuing bonds, as done by some civic bodies in other states.
BJP’s state president Sudhir Munguntiwar said an all-party supervisory committee would be formed to keep a tab on the fulfilment of promises.