BMC proposes Rs 18.25 crore road safety work at 48 accident-prone spots in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed spending Rs 18.25 crore to improve road safety at 48 locations in Mumbai where accidents frequently occur. The project aims to reduce road accidents and improve traffic management through engineering measures. These are high-risk junctions identified by the Mumbai Traffic Police.

The BMC has recommended awarding the contract to M/s Pragati Enterprises. The company bid 36% below the BMC's estimate and so emerged as the lowest bidder. The proposal has been sent to the Standing Committee and the respective improvement committees for approval. It is due to be discussed on Wednesday.

The work will be carried out at accident-prone spots in the island city, the eastern suburbs and the western suburbs, with attention to road visibility, traffic movement and safety. Road dividers and median barriers will be installed, thermoplastic road markings laid, traffic instruction and direction signboards put up, two-way pavement markers installed, and traffic islands built at selected junctions. The BMC also wants to assess the impact of these measures once they are in place and, where needed, decide short-term and long-term steps.

The BMC had prepared an initial estimate of Rs 22.17 crore, excluding GST, based on the USOR-2023 rate schedule. Five contractors bid, and their financial offers were opened on July 10, 2026. Pragati Enterprises quoted Rs 14.19 crore excluding GST. C R Shah quoted Rs 14.79 crore, ASK Construction Company Rs 15.08 crore, Kamla Construction Company Rs 17.18 crore and Shreeji Infraspace Private Limited Rs 20.39 crore.

The Roads and Traffic Department said Pragati Enterprises had submitted the required rate analysis and that its rates were correct and reasonable. The proposed contract value is about Rs 18.25 crore, including 18% GST and the stated contingencies. With additional charges, the total estimated project cost comes to about Rs 22.08 crore.

The 48 black spots were identified from a list received from the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic). They are considered high-risk areas where repeated accidents have shown the need for corrective measures.

According to the civic administration, Mumbai has a road network of about 2,000 km spread over 475 sq km. A rise in registered vehicles has increased pressure on the city's limited roads, raising congestion and the risk of accidents. Major roads, busy junctions, flyover approaches, and the entry and exit points of the Coastal Road and east-west connecting routes are among the places facing traffic problems.

Identifying and reviewing accident spots is also part of the process of the District Road Safety Committees. Under Supreme Court directions, separate meetings are held every six months for Mumbai city and the suburban district, under the respective district collector.

The proposed contract is for 18 months, excluding the monsoon period. The defect liability period will be 12 months for road marking and six months for kerbstone and divider painting. Price variation in the contract is capped at 5%. The expenditure will come from the capital works budget of the BMC's Roads and Traffic Department, which is planned to be funded in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years. The tender will remain valid until December 14, 2026.

The proposal now awaits approval from the Standing Committee and the relevant improvement committees of the city and suburbs, as applicable. Once approved, the project can be implemented.

The bid 36% below the estimate has raised questions about price and quality of work. Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi asked whether the BMC's estimate had been inflated, or whether the low quotation could affect the standard of work. Under the tender terms, Pragati Enterprises must pay an additional security deposit of about Rs 5.32 crore within 15 working days of being awarded the work.