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BMC launches demolition drive against illegal film studios in coastal area

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday undertook a demolition drive against five unauthorised film studios in Madh, Erangal and Bhati areas in the Western suburbs. These studios, located in the P-North ward of the city, fall in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and the demolition would be completed within two days, the civic body said in a statement. A day before, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had tweeted about likely action by the BMC while claiming that dozens of unauthorized studios worth Rs 1,000 crore had come up there in 2021 when the Uddhav Thackeray-led government was in power in Maharashtra. After receiving complaints, officials of the P-North ward conducted inspection and served legal notices to studio owners, it said. Of 11 film studios operating illegally in the area, four were dismantled by their owners after getting the notice, two studios obtained required permissions and five studios had secured stay orders. On April 6, the National Green Tribunal ...

CAG report flags non-sharing of Covid expenditure records in Maharashtra

A report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the functioning of Mumbai's civic body has highlighted the lack of transparency and planning as well as careless use of funds and flagged non-sharing of COVID-19 management expenditure records. The CAG report, which was tabled in the Maharashtra Assembly on Saturday by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, scrutinized expenditure of Rs 12,023.88 crore made by nine departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation between November 28, 2019 and October 31, 2022. Several works were awarded without tendering or choosing proper contractors, including one case of an influent pumping station in which, the report said, malafide intentions cannot be ruled out. The CAG report also stated that records relating to the expenditure for the management of COVID-19 pandemic were not produced despite repeated requests to the civic body by the Office of the Accountant General (Audit)-I, Maharashtra. The non-production o

BMC constitutes 7-member committee to control Mumbai's air pollution

The decisions have come in the wake of G20 meetings, scheduled to be held in Mumbai at the end of March 2023

Litigations delaying Metro car shed project, causing losses: Bombay HC told

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that the construction of the car shed at Aarey Colony was getting delayed and causing loss of public money due to litigations, defending its plan to cut more trees at the site than earlier proposed. MMRCL, a nodal agency, told the HC that due to the court cases, it could not cut down trees in 2019 and this has now led to an increase in the number of trees that are required to be cut for the project at suburban Goregaon. In 2019, the MMRCL had sought permission from the tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to chop 84 trees. However, due to petitions filed in HC and later in the Supreme Court, a status quo was ordered. After the SC gave the green signal to cut trees, the MMRCL filed an application before the tree authority to cut down 177 trees. As per the MMRCL, the number of trees at the Metro car shed site has increased in the past four years. An activist, Zoru Bhath

BMC budget crosses 50,000 cr-mark in a first, 14.5% higher than last year

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body in the country, on Saturday presented Rs 52,619.07 crore budget for the year 2023-24, with the budgetary estimates crossing the Rs 50,000 crore-mark for the first time. The budgetary estimates this time are 14.52 per cent more than the 2022-23 amount of Rs 45,949 crore. The BMC administration presented the budget to municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, who was appointed as the civic body's administrator by the state government in March last year after the five-year term of corporators ended. "The budget estimates for the financial year 2023-24 are proposed at Rs 52,619.07 crore, which exceeds the budget estimates of 2022-23, that is Rs 45,949.21 crore, by 14.52 per cent," the budget document said. This is for the first time after 1985 that the administration of the richest municipal body in the country presented the budget to an administrator. Addressing a press conference after the budget presentation, ...

Will file complaint against BMC public utility: Somaiya on 'Covid Ki Kamai'

"COVID ki KAMAI" Exposing One more scam of BMC today. 2.30 pm today, I will be meeting Labour Minister Suresh Khade at Mantralaya Mumbai to submit a detailed complaint," the BJP leader said in a tweet

Pollution control, better health system should be in BMC budget: Maha CM

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Thursday directed the BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to prioritise pollution control, strengthening of health system, administration transparenc

Will expose BMC's 'Covid Ki Kamai' today, says BJP leader Kirit Somaiya

Hitting out at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya on Wednesday said he will expose "one more scam of the BMC" later in the day

Industrialists in Chhattisgarh freed from a hefty 'unwarranted' tax

Owners of the facilities located in the Urla Industrial Growth Centre - on the outskirts of capital Raipur - were in a fix over the huge penalty imposed due to a reported administrative error

Remdesivir scam: BMC cleared, govt urges to legislate against drugs' misuse

Simultaneously, the Lokayutka, Justice V.M. Kanade, has urged the Maharashtra government to enact suitable legislation to ensure availability of life-saving drugs at reasonable prices

Covid-19 centre contracts probe: BMC chief at ED office to record statement

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Monday went to the Enforcement Directorate's office here in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities in award of contracts for COVID-19 care centres. The ED had summoned Chahal to record his statement in the matter. Chahal was seen entering the ED's office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai at around 11.40 am. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya had alleged irregularities in the COVID-19 centers set up by the BMC. He had also filed a complaint at the Azad Maidan police station, based on which the police registered an FIR against a hospital management firm and some persons for allegedly submitting fake documents to obtain contracts of COVID-19 care centres.

After Sena ruckus, BMC seals all political party offices in civic building

In an unprecedented move, the BMC administration has sealed the offices of all political parties in the civic headquarters, triggering protests by different outfits, here on Thursday

Covid concerns: Working on 26 aspects to tackle any situation, says BMC

Amid the fear of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Mumbai's civic body on Monday said it was gearing up by creating special wards and replenishing medicine stocks as well as oxygen facilities. Nations like China, Japan and the United States of America are seeing a spike in cases, believed to be caused by BF.7, a sub variant of Omicron. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation statement said it was working on 26 different aspects to tackle any emergency. "These include preparation of oxygen beds, ventilators, medicines, ICU beds, training of nurses and paramedical staff and maintaining sufficient stock of medicines," it said. "There are more than 2,100 beds ready in government and private hospitals where COVID-19 patients can be treated immediately. These include 1,049 ventilator beds and 579 ICU beds. There are 3,245 doctors, 5,784 nurses and nearly 200 ambulances as well," it said.

BMC prohibits staff from addressing media to counter fake information

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a circular that only the civic chief and additional municipal commissioner will be authorised to speak to the media henceforth. In a circular issued on Monday, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal has instructed all other officers and staffers not to speak to the media. Only the municipal commissioner and concerned additional municipal commissioners will be the "competent authority" and they will be authorised to speak to the media, the circular said. Other officers and employees below the additional municipal commissioner rank are not authorised to speak to the media," it stated. The circular was issued after it was found that the department heads often shared information, including policy matters, with the media without the municipal commissioner's order, it said. Contradictory information was getting disseminated most of the time, which affected the civic body's image among the public, the circular said.

Ex-corporators write to Maharashtra CM alleging lack of transparency in BMC

Several former corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have written a letter, which they termed as an "SOS call", to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleging lack of transparency, financial mismanagement, policy paralysis and arbitrary transfers under the rule of state-appointed administrator and civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal. The letter signed by 94 former corporators cutting across the party lines, including former mayor Kishori Pednekar of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), claimed that the morale of officers was at an "all-time low" and the entire governance had come to a standstill as the operations were being run as per the "whims and fancies" of the administrator. In the letter written on December 12, they urged Shinde to "intervene immediately" and direct the administrator to publish a white paper on the state of affairs of the BMC, saying that they were unable to see the "deep rot" and "decline" of the BMC. The term of these corporators end

'Mumbai civic body responsible for untoward incident due to open manholes'

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said while it appreciates the work being done by the city's civic body to cover open manholes, but until then if there is any untoward incident, then the corporation would be held responsible. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja said it was concerned over the issue of open manholes across the city and sought the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to come up with a permanent solution. The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions raising concerns over the increasing number of potholes across Maharashtra and also open manholes. BMC's counsel Anil Sakhare told the court on Wednesday that the civic body was addressing the issue of open manholes on a "war-footing basis" and work was on to close all such manholes. The bench then said while the corporation's efforts are appreciated but if till then there was any untoward incident, then the BMC would be held responsible. "Good you (BMC) are working but till then if

Mumbai measles outbreak, missed vaccination: Here's all you need to know

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, currently India has the highest number of cases in the world at 9,489

Bombay HC terms open manholes as death traps, directs BMC to cover them

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday took serious note of open manholes in the city terming them as "death traps", and directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cover these up immediately. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja was hearing petitions raising concerns over potholes on city roads causing accidents. On Tuesday, advocate Ruju Thakker, representing one of the petitioners, pointed out that there were around 300 open manholes on the service road of the Eastern Express Highway Though several complaints had been lodged with the authorities, not a single manhole has been covered, she claimed. The bench then asked the BMC's counsel Anil Sakhare to verify if this was true. The court said it wants all the open manholes covered by November 28 and directed the civic body to submit a compliance report on December 1. Thakker further cited a recent incident where a woman fell into an open manhole at Vasai and died. Advocate Swati Sagwek

Eight new measles cases in Mumbai, takes total tally this year to 84

Mumbai on Saturday reported eight new confirmed cases of measles. It took the tally of such cases reported in the city since January 1, 2022 to 84, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The death toll due to the measles since the start of the year remained unchanged at eight. Three confirmed cases each were reported from M-East ward (which covers Govandi and Deonar) and H-East ward (Bandra East, Khar), while G-South (Worli) and S (Bhandup/Nahur) wards reported single cases. The number of suspected patients who have reported symptoms like fever and rash increased to 3,036 with 176 such cases added on Saturday, the BMC health department said. "All cases of fever with rash are administered two doses of Vitamin-A and second dose of measles vaccine after 24 hours," BMC release said. With admission of 11 patients and discharge of 27 patients, the number of hospitalized measles patients came down to 73. Of these, 62 patients are stable, while nine are on oxygen support and

BMC announces 10% water supply cut in Mumbai from November 1 to 10

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced 10 per cent water cut in the city from November 1 to 10, to carry out some urgent repair work at a weir in neighbouring Thane district. The civic body in an order said that the pneumatic gate system installed at Pise weir was in urgent need of repairs and the work will be carried out from November 1 to 10. A 10 per cent water cut will be imposed during the 10-day period in Mumbai Metropolitan, Thane and Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation areas, the BMC said, appealing to citizens to use water judiciously.