No more clean-up marshals, but be ready to pay fines online if found maskless

BMC marshals fine passengers for not wearing masks in Kurla on December 19. Pic/Atul Kamble

Following mid-day's series of reports on how clean-up marshals harass citizens and extort money from them by threatening police action, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now thinking of taking the fine payment process online. Under this initiative, the civic body plans to hire educated candidates as marshals, who will be graduates. Apart from this, fines might be collected only through the online mode and eventually the modes of payments will be linked to citizens' Aadhaar cards.

Under the new system, which will come into effect next year, citizens will have to pay fines only through online modes. Confirming the development, BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) Sangita Hasnale of the SWM department said, "We are in the process of changing the fine collection system in order to stop the corruption. The new system will ensure that marshals don't extort money. New marshals will be hired and we will check both their educational and criminal backgrounds. Everything will be in control of the BMC and not the contractors."

Marshals fine a passenger for not wearing his mask properly at Tilak Nagar, near LTT. File pic

Hasnale added, "I had sent a letter to the chief engineer of SWM department after mid-day's reports. We have received too many complaints about these marshals extorting money and threatening people. The entire system is being changed. We will hire marshals again and the minimum qualification will be graduation this time. This will ensure they speak politely to citizens. We will also give them clear instructions to not harass or abuse citizens. Their uniforms will also be changed."

She further said, "The new system will be implemented soon. We are still in the process of discussing it, but hopefully it will be active in the New Year." According to Hasnale, action would be taken against the marshals who were operating at the Santacruz-Kalina junction and the BMC was collecting evidence for the same. "The civic body is also in the process of developing an app to collect fines," she added.

"We will also deploy the marshals at places where there are CCTV cameras. Our team will monitor them. Citizens should not allow them to extort money and should take receipts. The fine for not wearing a mask is Rs 200. We will continue taking fines in order to implement the rule as the new variant of the virus is spreading rapidly. People should also be responsible enough and wear masks in public places," she concluded.

In the past, BMC received most of the harassment complaints from Marine Drive, Girgaon Chowpatty, Bandstand, Juhu Chowpatty and Powai Lake area. The civic body has also asked the agencies concerned to file FIRs against marshals for not issuing receipts.