BMC elections: Mumbai votes for a civic body richer than some Indian states

As Mumbai is voting in the civic elections on Wednesday, focus has returned to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s wealthiest municipal body whose annual spending often exceeds that of several Indian states.

The BMC recently presented its FY26 budget, pegging total expenditure at ₹74,427 crore, its highest ever and about 14% more than the previous year’s estimate.

The budget was presented to commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, the state-appointed administrator, as the civic body has been without an elected house since the corporators’ term ended in March 2022.


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For the third consecutive year, the budget was placed before the administrator instead of the standing committee. The absence of corporators has kept Mumbai’s civic administration under state control for nearly three years, even as spending and project execution continue at scale.

BMC Budget bigger than many state Budgets

The scale of the BMC’s finances highlights why control of the civic body carries such high stakes. With an FY26 budget of ₹74,427 crore, the BMC’s spending is far higher than the annual budgets of several Indian states.

Goa’s total budget for 2025-26 stands at ₹25,639 crore, Arunachal Pradesh’s at ₹38,809 crore, Himachal Pradesh’s at ₹52,709 crore, Sikkim’s expenditure estimate at ₹15,535 crore and Tripura’s at ₹31,412 crore. It is to be noted that the above figures exclude debt payment.

The contrast is equally stark at the city level. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has proposed a ₹16,530 crore budget for 2026-27, while Bengaluru’s BBMP passed a budget of about ₹19,930 crore for 2025-26. Ranchi Municipality’s budget is less than 1% of the BMC’s outlay, as per media reports.

Formally known as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the BMC governs Mumbai and parts of its suburbs. Established under the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, it remains India’s most powerful civic body by both financial strength and administrative reach.

What BMC planned to do with the mega amount

• A key highlight of the FY26 budget is a ₹1,000 crore allocation for BEST, Mumbai’s civic bus service. BEST runs around 3,000 buses and carries over 30 lakh passengers daily, making it a critical lifeline for the city.
• The budget also proposes a Transportation and Commercial Hub at Dahisar Check Naka on the Western Express Highway, with passenger lodging, parking, commercial offices and a star-category hotel. The project is planned as a self-funded venture aimed at easing traffic and creating a new revenue stream.
• Infrastructure remains the largest focus area. The BMC plans to complete key rail overbridges at Vikhroli, Nahur, Gokhale and Carnac before the monsoon. Large projects such as the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road, Mumbai Coastal Road (North) and the Dahisar–Bhayandar elevated coastal road are central to its connectivity push.
• Beyond mega projects, the budget flags reforms in urban management. A Centralised Property Information System is proposed to consolidate civic asset records and explore development through public-private partnerships. A new advertisement policy is also in the pipeline to regulate hoardings and reduce skyline congestion.
• The civic body has set aside funds for traffic decongestion on the Eastern and Western Express Highways, multilevel robotic parking at locations like Flora Fountain and Worli, and a parking app to allow advance booking of slots. It has also reiterated its focus on pedestrian-friendly infrastructure through the Universal Footpath Policy.

As Mumbai’s voters choose their civic representatives, the FY26 budget offers a snapshot of the financial muscle and responsibilities that come with governing India’s most powerful municipal corporation.