‘We will not divide the corporation’

BMC is embroiled in controversies. It is battling several accusations, including failure to repair potholes and bring accountability and transparency in its functioning. Corporators have been accused of having a nexus with contractors. Mayor Sunil Prabhu of Shiv Sena defends the civic body in an interaction with The Indian Express.

P VAIDYANATHAN IYER: Have you been able to ensure transparency and accountability in awarding contracts for road and other works?

SP: Big players should be roped in for road constructions. We have seen that small players do a shoddy job and realised companies that have worked on national and international levels need to be brought in. We also decided to appoint a nodal agency that will act as a single clearance window to ease working of big companies.

STUTI SHUKLA: Over the years, BMC blacklisted but never banned companies.

SP: Stern action should be taken against companies doing shoddy work. I have also told the municipal commissioner that even civil work contractors (CWC) should be dealt with strictly.

STUTI SHUKLA: Do you think areas such as Mankhurd and Govandi are being neglected by BMC. Proximity to the Deonar dumping ground is severely affecting residents of these area.

SP: We are trying to refill the Deonar dumping ground. After we started the work, the number of cases of TB, etc, has come down in the past few years. As a permanent solution, we are also considering burning waste rather than dumping it.

SHARVARI PATWA: An NGO survey found most questions asked by corporators in civic general body meetings in the first three months related to renaming roads. Are there no important issues to discuss?

SP: Corporators always focus on manifestoes of their parties. It is their duty to fulfill promises made to people. To ensure that corporators work for the good of people, we have routine meetings with Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray who assess their performance.

... contd.

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