Mumbai’s road network is set for a fresh round of transformation as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) gears up to restart its ambitious road concretisation drive from October 1. The civic body will first turn its attention to 574 roads spanning over 156 km that had been partially completed and secured before the monsoon, before moving on to new stretches planned for the current phase.
According to officials, the four-month monsoon pause allowed the city’s roads to withstand heavy rainfall without large-scale damage, validating the move to prioritise concrete over asphalt. Alongside resuming incomplete works, the BMC has lined up 776 new roads, covering nearly 209 km, for concretisation, expanding the reach of what is billed as the largest road upgrade initiative in Mumbai’s history. Civic data reveals that almost half of the targeted roads under this project have already been completed. In the second phase alone, nearly two-thirds of the works have been delivered. So far, 771 roads covering 186 km have been fully concretised, offering residents smoother commutes and reducing frequent pothole-related hazards. Officials emphasised that the focus remains on balancing efficiency with minimal disruption for citizens as the next round of construction begins.
Phase I of the concretisation plan has been scheduled for completion by May 2026, while Phase II is targeted for full execution by the first half of 2027. To meet these timelines, civic engineers and contractors will operate in a phased manner, ensuring that unfinished stretches are taken up swiftly alongside fresh works. Officials believe that by staggering the workload, congestion and inconvenience to residents can be reduced. In a significant move to address citizen concerns over delays and opaque work schedules, the civic body has launched a public-facing dashboard. The platform enables residents to track the status of individual projects, including contractor details, timelines, and completion targets. Officials said the dashboard would enhance accountability and allow citizens to hold contractors and civic authorities responsible for missed deadlines or substandard execution.
Urban planners and mobility experts note that concrete roads, though more expensive initially, align with the city’s push for durable, climate-resilient infrastructure. Unlike asphalt surfaces that require frequent repairs, concrete roads last longer, reduce maintenance costs, and lower carbon emissions linked to repeated resurfacing. In the long term, the shift supports Mumbai’s aspiration to evolve into an eco-friendly, sustainable metropolis where public money is invested in durable assets. As Mumbai braces for yet another round of civic works, residents remain watchful of how effectively the promises of timely completion and improved transparency are delivered. For a city that struggles with traffic bottlenecks and monsoon-induced road damage year after year, the concretisation project stands as both a challenge and an opportunity to lay the foundation for a more resilient urban future.
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