Hindustan Times 25.11.2010
Planning agency washes hands of infra projectsThe Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided not to undertake any infrastructure projects in the city. The authority has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take over work of building road overbridges, foot overbridges, and skywalks in the city, whenever needed in the future.
The MMRDA plans to complete 36 ongoing projects, including the skywalks, by December and then focus its attention on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
This means, the onus of developing infrastructure in the city will be on the municipal corporation. “From now on the responsibility of constructing road overbridges, foot overbridges and skywalks will be with the BMC as the MMRDA has requested us to take over from them,” said Swadheen Kshatriya, municipal commissioner.
Senior civic officials are not happy with the decision as they feel that the MMRDA bites off more than it can chew.
“Once it becomes difficult for them to complete the projects, they dump it on the BMC,” said an official on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
There have been instances of the MMRDA abandoning several projects in the past.
The development authority was the planning agency for the Marine Drive beautification project. However, they handed over a half-done project to the BMC in 2008.
Also, several roads that were given to the MMRDA for widening and repairs were handed over to the civic body without the work being completed.
