Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday placed its budget proposal for 2026-27, increasing allocation for various civic amenities, with a focus on roads, drainage and sewerage system, street lights, solid waste management and filtered water supply.BMC was making efforts to improve the area’s infrastructure and facilities, especially roads, street lights, water supply, garbage removal and the drainage system, and better manage existing services, said Bidhannagar mayor Krishna Chakraborty in her budget speech. The authorities placed a surplus budget proposal of Rs 67.8 lakh, showing a total income of Rs 489.4 crore and expenditure of Rs 488.7 crore.Battered and potholed roads being a long-standing grievance among commuters, BMC has proposed an allocation of Rs 79 crore for the development and maintenance of roads and pavements in Salt Lake and Rajarhat-Gopalpur, more than last financial year’s Rs 76 crore.Aiming to improve filtered water supply, BMC plans to add 10 tractors and tankers to its 12-strong fleet. The civic body has received approval of Rs 379.4 crore under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme in the first phase for water supply augmentation projects, which include the ongoing work of repairs and renovation of 15 overhead water tanks in Salt Lake, house-to-house filtered water supply connections in wards 22 to 26 and 38 and 39, and supply of potable water to wards 28, 35 and 36.Another focus of BMC are street lights to keep Salt Lake and Rajarhat well lit and safe. The civic authorities have already installed LED light panels of different wattages across the BMC area. New street lights and 405 new lamp posts are being bought to be installed in wards 1 to 27 in Rajarhat at a cost of Rs 3.9 crore under Green City project. The authorities have proposed an allocation of Rs 16 crore this year for this segment.Stressing sewerage and drainage system improvement, BMC plans to modernise eight sewerage pumping stations and four additional pumping stations in Salt Lake. It also plans to build two more drop pumping stations in Salt Lake and install new drainage lines in Rajarhat. The civic authorities proposed a budgetary provision of Rs 25.5 crore for development and modernisation of the sewerage and drainage system.
