Mahayuti releases BMC poll manifesto
From making a slum-free Mumbai to pledge Artificial Intelligence (AI) labs in each municipal schools, to offering of concessional public transport service and an interest-free loan upto `5 lakh for women, the Mahayuti — a coalition of BJP, NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Maharashtra — on Sunday launched its much-awaited poll manifesto for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.
Several key leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Ramdas Athawale, Vinod Tawde, Ameet Satam, and Ashish Shelar were present during the launch of the electoral manifesto which promises a set of new initiatives which also includes an AI tool to identify illegal immigrants.
On the occasion Fadnavis said the alliance aims to expand the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) fleet from around 5,000 to 10,000 buses, switch to electric vehicles and introduce a 50 per cent concession on fares for women travellers.
Fadnavis, who unveiled the document, said the BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI (A) alliance would combine “Japanese technology” with local administration to tackle chronic civic problems and bring services to citizens’ mobile phones. The manifesto has emphasised the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to curb corruption, speed up clearances and improve service delivery.
“The city has seen 25 years of inefficiency in civic governance, and now I want to tell people to give us the opportunity to bring transparency in civic administration. Our goal is a corruption-free municipal corporation,” Fadnavis said, outlining a “Municipality on your Mobile” initiative and an AI-driven platform to fast-track building approvals and ensure transparency in the real estate sector.
He said new “midi” and “mini” services would improve last-mile connectivity around Metro and railway stations. “We will free Mumbai of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. With the help of IIT, we will develop an AI tool to identify Bangladeshi migrants,” Fadnavis said. He stated that Rs 17,000 crore had been pledged for a climate action plan, under which a circular economy will be prepared.
Speaking about the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Fadnavis said an ecosystem will be created to ensure the upgradation of micro businesses in the area, and even ineligible residents will be included.
The manifesto has also mentioned a “flood-free Mumbai” plan, promising the city would be free from inundation within five years by adopting Japanese techniques and collaborating with institutions such as IIT and VJTI for measures.
Fadnavis said that a research group from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will study the city’s topography, and that the plan included constructing four new underground floodwater tanks and revamping existing drainage lines, alongside expediting work on the BRIMSTOWAD 2 project.
He further said that civic hospitals will be upgraded to the level of AIIMS, and a health card facility will be launched in which the medical history of every Mumbaikar will be digitalised to expedite treatment.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stressed the preservation of Marathi culture alongside modernisation.
