MMRDA to raise ₹60,000-cr to fund infra projects
Metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivas informed that in Phase I, the authority will borrow ₹12,000 crore, for which the state government decided to stand guarantor to fund various infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The nodal agency needs funds to execute various projects in the region and the agency expects good cash flow from various sources of revenue over the next 25 years. MMRDA's source of revenue has been hit due to delay in commissioning of major projects because of the Covid-induced lockdown as well as lack of interest demonstrated by parties in the land parcels put up on lease in BKC. The authority is confident it will be able to repay loans by levying development charges on residential, commercial and industrial units, besides monetizing land. The money needed for operations and maintenance of assets can be raised by taxes, cess, advertising, among others. MMRDA has already appointed SBI Capital Funds to help raise the loans.