Resurrecting Mumbai: Experts’ action plan to CM

MUMBAI: From setting up a road maintenance management system, reframing education policy to undertaking property tax reforms, 24 Mumbai-based experts have focused on five key areas of housing, transport, economy, health and education in the city and suggested an action plan that can be incorporated by the Maharashtra government.

The report – ‘Resurrecting Mumbai discussing challenges and strategies towards framing an inclusive action plan for postcovid sustainability’ – has been submitted to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. It talks about short-term interventions and long-term strategies needed to revive the city, hit hard by the pandemic.

Sayli Udas Mankikar, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and one of the convenors of the project, said, “The solutions in the report can be implemented for the betterment of the city. With this report, we aim to supplement the government’s efforts in reviving the city.”

The transport action plan in the report stressed the need to strengthen the Brihanmumbai better public transport,” said Prachi Merchant, a senior urban planner and a project convenor.

To revive the city’s economy, the report stresses the need for property tax reforms, an infrastructure overhaul and prioritisation of projects being undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The health action plan talks about defining the role of the three layers of government — municipal, state and central – in the health sector. It presses for restructuring of the municipal budget to support primary healthcare and strengthen medical staff capacity.