Tragedy in the time of polls

Mumbai has become a city of nightmares - for both the privileged and underprivileged. The people who keep the city buzzing and lively are in no way guaranteed their safety. The reasons for it are endless: administration/planner-sponsored flaws like a crumbling bridge that cries for repairs and replacement, an uncovered manhole, gassy underground gutters, a damaged pavement or lack of one that can be walked on comfortably, dysfunctional traffic signals, ill-designed roads and expressways, falling trees and corruption-infested mismanagement of the civic body that has ignored basic infrastructural requirements.

We cry hoarse when an incident like a bridge collapse, stampede or fires at hotels/pubs kill Mumbaikars. The administration and their political bosses wake up temporarily, order inquiries, identify scapegoats and the issue gradually dies a silent death. We forget the past only to remember it again when more people become victims of civic apathy.

Oppn can't escape blame
The collapse of Himalaya bridge at Mumbai's iconic CSMT is an extension of the callous attitude of the city managers. The blame game continues even as a nexus between blacklisted contractors, unprofessional consultants, officials concerned and their political bosses has come to the fore after every tragedy. The next few days will see rims of documents being produced in the form of inquiry reports and recommendations that, we are not sure, would be acted upon. Whether the recommendations would be technically correct enough is also a question. The skepticism stems from the way the previous structural audits were done. The selection of incompetent consultants should be blamed on the BMC's administration and elected representatives. Opposition parties that have slammed the Shiv Sena-BJP for the BMC's mismanagement can't escape the blame ahead either. Kyunki hamam me sab nange hain!

What pains us more than the involvement of the biggies in the BMC and state government is the set of selfish middle-class professionals working for the civic authority, contractors and consultants who are hand-in-glove with the corrupt elements that lord over them in exchange for a share in bribes and other perks. Don't they realise that they are out to excel by knowingly or unknowingly killing innocents? The realisation will probably come too late. But it's a question of individual integrity. The morally corrupt and thick-skinned cannot be stopped from running after ill-gotten money.

Where are the Thackerays?
The politics over the bridge collapse is being structured in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. While the opposition and BJP leaders showed visible empathy towards the kin of victims and injured, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray didn't visit the spot and the affected. He did not mention the incident in the speeches he made the very next day. His son Aaditya didn't visit the spot but used social media to connect with Mumbaikars over the tragedy. The junior leader compensated for the bad publicity his family and party received by visiting the hospitals on Sunday.

What shocked the city further was an admission in Sena's mouthpiece Saamna that the city was mismanaged because of its uncontrolled expanse and the burden that a rising population puts on its existing urban infrastructure. The editorial blamed the mishap on multiple agencies saying that the work undertaken by them created problems. Raising subtly the 'sons of the soil' versus the migrants' influx issue, the Sena is no different from the parties that have politicised the tragedy. Simply put, the Sena that has been in power in the BMC for 25 years, wants to be in control of the city's infrastructural work. Given its lack of vision and failure in catering to the country's financial capital in the past, the Congress and BJP have seized every opportunity to corner it by undertaking big-ticket projects in the city. But if the Sena is granted its wish, will be it be able to turn the tide?

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates