BMC : Rulebook says trips out of town are personal, corporators insist work was official

Mumbai's corporators have used their official cars for what can only be described as personal use, their destinations ranging from tourist spots like Goa, Mahableshwar and Ganpatipule to pilgrimage centres like Shirdi and Tuljapur.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is now struggling to recover dues in excess of Rs 11 lakh from these corporators, who insist these tours were “official” and warranted use of their official vehicles.

Between March 2008 and August 2009, 15 corporators of the Shiv Sena and the BJP, all of them representing various civic committees, used their official vehicles, each bearing the BMC name and logo, to travel to destinations outside city limits. Many of these trips were for work related to their parties’ campaign for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

According to the rulebook, BMC vehicles can only be used within municipal limits. Members using the vehicles to travel longer distances are liable to pay for the fuel and the driver.

However, 13 of the 15 corporators are yet to pay their bills. The exceptions are improvements committee chairman Yashodhar Phanse and education committee chairperson Ujjwala Modak.

“We had sent them reminders to make the payment. But the members said the official vehicle was used for BMC work outside the city and they would not pay,” said an official. He added that none of the corporators has provided documents to prove that the vehicle was put to official use.

The BMC charges higher than the market rate for letting members use vehicles outside city limits, but corporators still prefer not take their personal cars, sources said. “The vehicle has a BMC flag and logo and carries an aura. They are therefore reluctant to use personal cars when an official one is available.”

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