Mumbai: BMC sets targets for officials to tackle illegal construction

BMC hopes to reduce illegal construction by making it compulsory to upload reports about demolition action on the system. Representation pic

Is the civic body adopting the corporate way to clean up its own system? It appears so with the administration deciding to give set targets for completion to its officials. After target-based garbage segregation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now looking at allotting targets to designated officers in charge of removal of encroachment in their respective wards.

The BMC had come up with a system - removal of encroachment tracking system - to track citizens' complaints, reduce citizen activism and bring in transparency with respect to the action taken against illegal and unauthorised structures. Sources, however, said civic officials themselves haven't been using the system, acting on complaints manually and not updating them digitally; hence, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta has decided to make it compulsory and said action (against illegalities) should be taken only through the system.

To further ensure it is used, targets will be allotted in the RETMS software, which the engineers will have to adhere to at the earliest. The system will be closely monitored and reports given periodically to Mehta, who, if targets are not met, will decide on a course of action.

A senior civic official said, "The official in charge of his/her area has to track the complaint and upload pictures of the action taken; this is how the system works. Next, a target of five to 10 demolitions each will be allotted to the designated officers, and they have to upload the action taken report, which will be monitored by the ward officers and considered by the zonal DMCs.

"In the meeting held early last month, the civic chief instructed the additional municipal commissioner (city) to allot targets ward-wise in the RETMS module to reduce the percentage of unauthorised construction." Despite attempts, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Narendra Barde was unavailable for comment.

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