Mumbai: Mumbai’s roads, public spaces, tourist destinations, and water bodies could soon see a technology-driven makeover as the BMC general body has approved three proposals moved by BJP corporator Tajinder Singh Tiwana aimed at improving civic services, preserving heritage, and tackling environmental challenges.One of the proposals seeks to transform roads, junctions, and public places named after eminent personalities into “open digital museums”. Under the plan, name boards would be fitted with QR codes that citizens can scan to access information on the personalities after whom the locations are named.The digital content would include biographies, photographs, historical contributions, audio-visual material and multilingual information. The information is proposed to be authenticated through government records, historians, and academic institutions.Tiwana said that while several roads and public spaces in Mumbai are named after freedom fighters, social reformers, scientists, writers and other distinguished personalities, most citizens remain unaware of their contributions. The initiative aims to create greater public awareness, particularly among students and tourists.In another proposal, the civic body approved a plan to study the installation of floating garbage barriers at the mouths of major drains and rivers to prevent plastic waste and floating debris from entering the Arabian Sea during monsoon.According to the proposal, large quantities of plastic waste are washed into the sea every year, contributing to marine pollution and affecting biodiversity. The barriers would intercept floating waste before it reaches coastal waters and could also help improve the flow of water in drains by reducing blockages.The general body also approved a proposal to introduce an AI-based tourist footfall monitoring system at key tourist and religious destinations in the city. The proposal recommends a pilot project at five major locations using AI-enabled CCTV cameras to monitor visitor numbers in real time.Civic officials said real-time crowd data could help improve sanitation management, drinking water supply, traffic regulation, security arrangements, and the provision of public amenities during festivals and peak tourist periods.The municipal administration has been asked to examine the feasibility of all three proposals and submit detailed implementation reports before taking them up for execution.
