CM's drawing Shanghai on paper

MUMBAI: When it comes to realising his Shanghai dream for Mumbai, all that chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh can offer is a fondness for appointing committees, ordering surveys, engaging consultants, and drafting proposals.

That a congregation of development agencies, committees, and reports has failed to deliver is an argument lost on the chief minister and his government.

On Wednesday, Mr Deshmukh told the state legislative assembly that a cell has been set up at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) under Union minister of state Prithviraj Chauhan to pursue Mumbai’s infrastructure projects. Mr Deshmukh read out a list of proposals sent by the state to the Centre for consideration under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM).

This includes the Middle Vaitarana Water Supply Project worth Rs 1,600 crore, Brihan Mumbai Storm Water Drain Project (BRIMSTOWAD) worth Rs 1,800 crore, and phase II of Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project worth Rs 1,896 crore. Mr Deshmukh told the House that the state is also awaiting funds from the Centre for the Metro rail project and Mithi river clean-up.

Unfortunately for the city, the central government has not yet sanctioned allocations for any of these projects. Under the National Urban Renewal Mission, the Centre will have a 35% share in the project cost; state government 15%; and the BMC 50%.

As reported by ET last week, Mr Deshmukh has written to PM Manmohan Singh reminding the latter of his pledge to finance Mumbai’s infrastructure projects. It was in the wake of the 26/7 disaster that Mumbai’s decaying infrastructure came into sharp focus.

The state and the BMC promptly sent proposals to the Centre for an infrastructure overhaul of the city. In January ’06, the same proposals were formally submitted to the Centre under NURM.

On Wednesday, the chief minister did not tell the legislative assembly as to when funds are likely to come from the Centre. Ironically, Mumbai’s woes have actually increased since 26/7, the first anniversary of which is just a week ahead.