Did Maharashtra's BMC Chief Order a Probe into the 'Mumbai Aspirational Toilets' Project?

Mumbai, July 17 (NationPress) Following concerns raised in the Legislative Assembly by BJP legislator Ameet Satam regarding the construction of 14 aspirational toilets valued at Rs 20 crore on footpaths, the Maharashtra government has decided to suspend all ongoing activities and initiate an investigation into the project.

Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar instructed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner to carry out an inquiry and mandated the government to take necessary action against the Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) if it is determined that the decision was made in violation of established policies.

These toilets are located within the heritage areas of Colaba and Fort.

In a calling attention motion during the Legislative Assembly, MLA Ameet Satam pointed out that the BMC had approved tenders for the construction of 14 'Aspirational Toilets' at a cost of Rs 20 crore, with work already underway at five sites in A Ward.

“Despite the BMC's own Pedestrian First policy and the presence of heritage buildings, these toilets are not merely facilities but are tantamount to BMC-sponsored encroachments on public footpaths. Local representatives have expressed opposition to these constructions. Was their objection considered by the BMC? Did the civic body provide any clarification to the representative? Who was responsible for selecting the locations and issuing tenders for this project?” questioned MLA Ameet Satam.

Satam further inquired about the kind of special technology being utilized in these toilets, with a construction budget of Rs 1.75 crore.

“Will the government conduct an inquiry to determine if vested interests influenced the decision to build these toilets? Will a stay be placed on ongoing work until the inquiry report is presented? If evidence of vested interests and procedural irregularities is found, will action be taken under the MRTP Act?” asked MLA Satam.

In response, Industries Minister Uday Samant confirmed that an investigation into the construction of these footpath toilets would be conducted within 30 days.

“The inquiry will evaluate whether the project contravenes the BMC’s own policy. Until the investigation concludes, all ongoing work will be halted. Based on the inquiry's findings, appropriate actions will be taken,” Samant added.

Speaker Rahul Narwekar commented that despite the objections from local elected officials, arbitrary decisions are being made by officials, directly undermining democratic principles.

“It seems the decision to proceed was made under the direction of the Additional Municipal Commissioner (City). The BMC Municipal Commissioner must complete the inquiry within 30 days, and if it is established that this decision breached policy, suitable action must be taken against the Additional Municipal Commissioner (City),” Narwekar stated.

He emphasized that if regulations were disregarded, those who made the decisions should be suspended. “The government must take decisive actions to prevent such rule violations and disregard for the legislature from occurring again,” Narwekar concluded.

Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar noted that while approval from the heritage committee may exist, these areas encompass UNESCO-recognized heritage sites with stringent regulations governing construction. The aesthetic integrity of Mumbai must be preserved, and pedestrian rights should not be compromised, Shelar affirmed.