MUMBAI, Oct. 26 -- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed spending Rs.18.25 crore on road safety measures at 48 accident-prone locations across Mumbai, with M/s Pragati Enterprises recommended for the contract after quoting 36% below the civic body's estimated cost. The project will involve installing road dividers, applying thermoplastic road markings, erecting traffic signboards, placing pavement markers and constructing traffic islands to improve safety at high-risk junctions. The proposal will be placed before the standing committee and the improvements committees for Mumbai city and the suburbs, as applicable, for approval. The 48 black spots have been identified from a list provided by the office of the joint commissioner of police (traffic), of which 20 are high-risk junctions (see box). They are spread across the BMC's city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs divisions. The civic body has estimated the detailed cost of the project at approximately Rs.22.08 crore, including GST and other charges. Its roads and traffic department has recommended awarding the contract to Pragati Enterprises, which emerged as the lowest bidder among five contractors. According to the proposal, Mumbai has a road network of approximately 2,000 km spread across 475 sq km. The increasing number of registered vehicles on this limited network has contributed to congestion and accidents on major roads, at junctions, on flyover approaches and exits, and at entry and exit points along the Coastal Road and east-west connecting roads. The proposed interventions are part of the road safety process discussed at District Road Safety Committee meetings, held every six months separately for Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban districts under the respective district collectors, in accordance with the Supreme Court's road safety directives. The BMC prepared an initial office estimate of Rs.22.17 crore, excluding GST, using the USOR-2023 schedule of rates. Five contractors submitted bids, with their financial offers opened on July 10, 2026, after scrutiny of their technical submissions. Pragati Enterprises quoted Rs.14.19 crore, excluding GST, followed by C R Shah at Rs.14.79 crore, A S K Construction Company at Rs.15.08 crore, Kamala Construction Company at Rs.17.18 crore and Shreeji Infraspace Pvt Ltd at Rs.20.39 crore. The department said Pragati Enterprises had submitted the required rate analysis and that its quoted rates were found to be fair and reasonable. It was therefore recommended for the contract. "The proposed contract price is Rs.18.25 crore, including 18% GST and the specified contingencies. The detailed estimated cost, after adding water charges, sewerage charges and supervision charges, works out to approximately Rs.22.08 crore," a civic official said. As the contractor quoted 36% below the office estimate, it will also have to furnish an additional security deposit of approximately Rs.5.32 crore under the tender conditions. Contractors quoting rates more than 12% below the office estimate must provide an additional deposit calculated at 1% for every percentage point beyond that threshold. The amount must be deposited within 15 working days of acceptance of the work. The contract period is 18 months, excluding the monsoon. The defect liability period will be 12 months for road markings and six months for kerbstone and divider painting. Permissible price variation has been capped at 5%. The expenditure will be charged to the capital works budget of the roads and traffic department, with funds to be provided across the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years. The tender remains valid until December 14, 2026....