BMC Makes Provision of Rs 105 Crore for Makeover of Vegetable Mandis Across the City

Mumbai: The market department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken up the redevelopment of 11 Mandis. Of these, 35 percent of the work of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandi has been completed and a provision of Rs 55 crore has been made in the budget for the second phase of redevelopment. Apart from this, the work of Shirodkar Mandi has also been completed so far at 20 percent, for which a provision of Rs 2.80 crore has been made by the municipal corporation in the budget. The BMC has taken up the repair work of several Mandis in Mumbai and has made a total provision of Rs 105 crore in this year's budget. Therefore, Mumbaikars are hopeful that the municipal Mandis will be changed and a clean environment and facilities will be available. 

The work of Mahatma Phule Mandi has been going on for many years. The mandi stands on an area of 22,394.62 square meters, of which 6,687 square meters are occupied by an ancient heritage structure in the shape of the initials 'L' in the English language. An area of 7,600.17 square metres will be redeveloped without damaging the structure and 19,737.70's construction is proposed. 

A provision of Rs 55 crore has been made in the budget for the construction of the second phase. Similarly, 80% of the work of Babu Genu Mandi and 5% of the work of Topiwala Mandi have been completed so far. 

Plans for seven Mandis are in the process of approval, the market department said. Extensive structural repairs of Colaba Mandi, Parel Gaon Mandi, Hemant Manjrekar Mandi, and Mulund East Mandi have been completed.

What are the recommendations? 

Providing hawkers with space in Mandis will free the footpaths in Mumbai. Therefore, the civic body should make provision for the construction of at least 120 new municipal Mandis in its upcoming budget. The watchdog foundation had recommended to the civic body that this could help control the number of unauthorized hawkers. Residents have been demanding details of how many new Mandis the civic body will construct as per the recommendation.