Cabinet approves ₹37,000 crore for concretisation of 6,000 km roads

Mumbai state cabinet approved ₹37,000 crore to concretize 6000 km of roads over 17.5 years, amid criticism of current conditions. The finance department raised concerns.

Mumbai: The state cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday cleared the proposal to concretise 6000 km of roads at a cost of ₹37,000 crore.

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The decision came after the state has been facing flack over the pathetic and potholed-ridden conditions of the roads. A press note issued by the state said that these roads were supposed to be asphalted at a cost of ₹28, 500 crore, but to construct cement concrete roads the cost has now been revised to ₹36, 964 crores, which was approved by the cabinet.

The roads will be handed over to the State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) for over 17-and-a-half years. The work will be conducted on an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) basis, with a construction period of two-and-a-half years and a liability period of five years.

The finance department objected to this proposal, asking why the cement concretisation was needed and how the costing was done. They had also pointed out this will lead to burdening of the state exchequer, said sources.