The Maharashtra state government’s direction on January 9 to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to take up the work of concretising 15 kms. of road in Film City, Goregaon, Bombay, has come in for criticism from activists and opposition political parties. A conservative estimate puts the total cost of concretising the roads at Rs. 225 crore.
It is being said that the road is being concretised for producers who shoot films and TV serials there. While politicians and social activists have questioned the need to concretise the roads for the benefit of private parties, they’ve also wondered why the government should ask the BMC to do so. One source said, it is possible that the state government may have only made BMC the implementing agency while it (government) would bear the cost.
Activists also point out that Film City comes under an eco sensitive zone in which vehicle movement should be regulated. If the roads within Film City are concretised, vehicular traffic will only increase, aver the activists.