06 January,2022 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
BMC’s clean-up marshals harass people and ask for fine, as they remove their facemasks to take a selfie, at Bandstand, Bandra, on Monday. Pic/Shadab Khan
The unruly clean-up marshals could continue harassing citizens on the pretext of enforcing the mask rule, as the BMC has backtracked on its plan to make the payment of fines online. Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani told mid-day that going digital is not the solution. However, he said that civic officials would be deployed at blind spots to keep an eye on marshals to control the extortion racket.
Kakani said the BMC will register an FIR against the marshals caught extorting the public. A mid-day reporter had worked as BMC marshal for over a week at Santacruz-Kalina Junction on the Western Express Highway (WEH) in December, and exposed the racket. Following this paper's expose, BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) Sangita Hasnale of the SWM department said the fine payment would go online in 2022, and people won't have to pay the marshals.
A marshal fines visitors for not wearing mask properly, at Bandstand, Bandra, on January 3. Pic/Shadab Khan
However, the plan was dropped. He told mid-day, "We had planned to collect the fine online, but it will not work as nobody will pay the penalty. Most people don't use the online payment system, and it would have become difficult to collect fines from them. This is why we dropped the plan. The marshals will continue to collect fines from people found without a mask or wearing one improperly. Now that the Covid-19 cases are rising in the city, we don't want to take any risk. People should wear masks properly."
"We have already instructed the officers of all the BMC wards to form a team who will monitor marshals on the roads. Our BMC officers will stay at blind spots to keep an eye on the marshals, and ensure that the people are not harassed. If anyone is found extorting money from people, we will file a complaint," Kakani said. "It's citizens' responsibility to wear masks in public places, and not have to give extortion money to any BMC marshals. If any marshal extorts them, they should call 1800221916, our helpline number, and give their ID card details along with photos. We will take action against them. The fine for not wearing a mask or wearing it improperly is R200. Citizens also have responsibilities to take the receipt, and if the marshal is not ready to give one, citizens will complain to us. We will take strict action against such a marshal," he said, adding that this system will continue till they come up with an alternate solution. When contacted, Hasnale told mid-day she was not well and asked to call after 15 days.
Rajan Sejpal, a resident of Pedder Road and retired manager, said, "These marshals are goons. Late in December, I was in my car and suddenly a marshal knocked on my window, with his mobile phone pointing at me, as if he's taking a photo. He demanded Rs 200 fine from me. I ignored him, so he stood up right in front of my vehicle. As soon as the signal turned green, he had no choice but to move away. I drove off. These extortionist marshals should be removed from city."
Pratik Sunil Raval, an NRI, who was abused, harassed and assaulted by a BMC's marshal at Gateway of India with his sister and friends, said, "I still didn't get any response from the BMC after sending my complaint to them. These marshals continue to be on the roads. The BMC should help me and register an FIR in my case." In December, three marshals stopped them and fined Rs 600, which they paid. They, however, demanded Rs 400 more from Raval. When Raval threatened to complain to the police, the marshals fled and did not give me the receipts.
Borivli resident Lalit Jayakar, 27, was caught outside Indraprastha Shopping Centre in Borivli West in December. "My mask was just below the nose, as I was cleaning my face. A marshal took my photo and asked to pay Rs 100, and I did. When I asked for a receipt, he said I would then have to pay Rs 200. I did, but he still did not give me the receipt."
The BMC on Wednesday issued a toll free number for citizens to complain against marshals harassing them: 1800221916
