India, Jan. 16 -- Mumbai Awaits: What should be the real priorities of the newly elected BMC Corporators? In the polls for the long-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, political debate took centre stage but beyond the slogans and realpolitik lies a more pressing question: what should be the true priorities of the corporators elected to govern the city? To answer this, it is important to understand the scale and responsibility of the BMC, the country's richest civic body, and Mumbai's only democratically elected local authority. Under the BMC Act of 1888, the Corporation's mandate extends across three critical areas-civic engineering and management, public health, and public education. In the case of Mumbai, this scope extends far beyond primary healthcare and education, which are typically State subjects. But, Mumbai itself is unique: the city contributes nearly 75 per cent of Maharashtra's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a little under 10 per cent of the national GDP. The importance of civic services in Mumbai predates even the BMC. BEST, the city's iconic public transport system, began operations in 1874-14 years before the municipal corporation was established-highlighting how vital public transport has always been to the city's growth and functioning. Regardless of which political formation comes to power, the expectations of Mumbaikars are clear. The city urgently needs sustainable, affordable and inclusive solutions across all civic domains. In civic engineering and management, three challenges (amongst others) stand out-water scarcity and inequitable water distribution, waste management and flooding. To augment the quantum of drinking water, the elected body needs to immediately enforce dual-piping systems in all buildings by recycling non-potable water for flushing, gardening and car washing. This will significantly improve drinking water availability and would buy time for the long-term, financially-draining augmentation of physical sources. Strict waste segregation is another non-negotiable, essential to reducing landfills and curbing the city's growing environmental footprint. Flood mitigation, meanwhile, will require preserving and expanding unpaved open spaces that can allow rainwater to percolate into the ground, easing pressure on Mumbai's storm-water drains. These nature-based solutions could reduce flooding without imposing massive financial burdens on the civic body, and assist in mitigating the impact of climate change. Mobility is another pressing concern. With more than half of all daily journeys made on foot, footpaths must be treated as a primary mode of transport-safe, level, walkable and universally accessible. At the same time, the current sharp reduction in BEST buses has left commuters stranded in long queues. Hence, quadrupling the BEST fleet needs to be one of the topmost priorities on the elected body's list to restore affordable transport, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. Public healthcare, the second pillar of the BMC's mandate, needs urgent strengthening. Tripling outpatient department (OPD) capacity could prevent minor illnesses from escalating into serious conditions and reduce pressure on hospitals. Given the acute shortage of doctors, there is also a strong need for adding teaching facilities and medical colleges within municipal hospitals, helping produce healthcare professionals for Mumbai, Maharashtra and the wider western region. Education, the third key responsibility, remains central to social mobility. Extending all municipal schools up to Class 12 could drastically reduce dropout rates while improving infrastructure utilisation. Beyond academics, education must also serve as a tool for social development-through better nutrition for young children, focused attention on adolescent health, and the introduction of vocational and professional courses that improve employability and livelihoods. Another critical task for the incoming corporators will be the implementation of the Development Plan (DP) of Greater Mumbai. Since 1967, barely 20% of the DP has been executed. Raising this figure to minimum 80% is absolutely vital for improving the city's long-term liveability. Public open spaces must become truly public. Low boundary walls, or the famous katta as seen at Shivaji Park and the grounds at Matunga, can ensure both physical and visual access, creating a more inclusive urban environment. The elected body should comprehend urban form more holistically-not just as buildings, but as a combination of streets, footpaths, open spaces, culture and heritage. Mumbai was the first city in India to introduce heritage legislation more than three decades ago, commencing in 1991. Preserving this legacy should be a priority for the newly elected body, using incentives such as transferable development rights (TDR) rather than yielding to unchecked redevelopment. Finally, the aesthetics of the city need to be questioned. The proliferation of flashy installations, excessive lighting and bulky hoardings has drawn much criticism for wasting public funds. There is growing hope that the newly elected body will shift focus away from gimmicks and work meaningfully towards strengthening core civic services. As Mumbai stands at this electoral crossroads, the challenge before the new corporators is clear: move beyond politics and deliver on the fundamentals. Only then can the city evolve into a sustainable, affordable and dignified place for present and future generations of Mumbaikars....