Mumbai, Feb. 26 -- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday presented its largest-ever annual budget, pegged at Rs.80,952.56 crore, with an aggressive push on infrastructure even as the civic body returns to elected governance after four years of administrator rule. Notably, the civic budget has seen a dramatic rise during the four-year administrator period, more than doubling from Rs.38,515.49 crore in 2022-23 to Rs.80,862.72 crore in 2026-27. For the second consecutive year, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani maintained a 60:40 ratio between capital and revenue expenditure, a reversal of the 40:60 capital-to-revenue ratio presented by his predecessor IS Chahal. The capital expenditure, earmarked for development and infrastructure projects, has been pegged at Rs.48,164.28 crore, while revenue expenditure, which includes salaries and establishment costs, stands at Rs.32,698.44 crore. Explaining the shift in spending priorities, Gagrani said in his budget speech, "Over the years, the expenditure trend of BMC reflects a meticulous shift towards strengthening long-term assets. Capital expenditure has shown a steady upward trend, underlining our priority towards infrastructure creation, modernisation and sustainable development. At the same time, revenue expenditure has been kept under prudent control through efficiency measures and fiscal discipline." As expected, no new taxes were imposed, nor was the annual 8% water tax levied, keeping the newly elected mayor Ritu Tawde's promise. Ongoing marquee infrastructure projects, including the Mumbai Coastal Road (South), the Coastal Road extension from Dahisar to Bhayandar, and the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, will continue to receive funding. Among key environmental initiatives, a Mumbai Climate Action Plan will see the installation, operation and maintenance of 75 low-cost sensors across the city by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. To address traffic congestion and flooding, the BMC will proceed with its proposed Multi-Modal Underground Tunnel Connectivity Project, which involves a multi-deck tunnel system. The tunnels will carry vehicular traffic on one level and utilities and drainage systems on another, allowing them to double up as flood-mitigation infrastructure during heavy rainfall. The estimated cost for the 6-km project is Rs.4,392 crore. The budget also includes provisions for bio-toilets at six locations along the Coastal Road, estimated at Rs.94 crore, amid debates around aspirational toilet facilities in the state assembly. Authorised hawkers will be issued QR code-based certificates, and iconic clock towers are proposed at four entry points to Mumbai. A paperless booking system for the nature trail at Malabar Hill has already been implemented. In a move aimed at improving cleanliness, the civic body plans to introduce a "Pink Army" of female workers to strengthen street-cleaning operations. A provision of Rs.65 crore has been made for footpaths, and Rs.150 crore has been allocated for an Access Control project on the Western Express Highway. Roads and traffic management have received Rs.6,875 crore, Rs.950 crore has been earmarked for the Mumbai Coastal Road (South), and bridges have been allocated Rs.2,300 crore. Infrastructure development has been positioned as critical to building public trust and preparing the city for future demands. Gagrani said that the pace of capital works has picked up significantly in recent years, resulting in a gradual increase in liabilities tied to priority infrastructure projects. To maintain the momentum of these works and close the annual accounts for FY 2024-25, the BMC mobilised Rs.4,900 crore through Internal Temporary Transfer (ITT). "Going forward, it is proposed to raise Rs.10,137.92 crore and Rs.21,376.74 crore through ITT," said Gagrani. The BMC also plans to monetise revenue-generating assets through Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to fund major capital projects. "InvIT will own and operate income-generating infrastructure assets such as roads, municipal markets, parking lots, commercial spaces, etc. and will raise funds from retail and institutional investors without adding debt," said Gagrani. "These proceeds can be used to buy new assets, clear existing debt, or complete ongoing major projects." In addition, the BMC plans to raise Municipal Green Bonds to finance sustainable infrastructure projects, including wastewater treatment and desalination plants. The move is aligned with India's net-zero commitments and sustainable development goals....