On Day 1, IS Chahal left office after holding a monsoon review meeting, there wasn’t any communication on pending proposals worth Rs 1,500 crore
As an administrator, Iqbal Singh Chahal has the authority of the standing committee and BMC. File pic
After clearing proposals worth Rs 3,000 crore on the last day of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) term on Monday, the civic headquarters was in slow mode on Tuesday. The municipal commissioner has been appointed as administrator and has the authority of the standing committee and BMC.
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After appointment as the administrator of the BMC that has an annual budget of Rs 46,000 crore, it seemed the municipal commissioner wasn’t in a hurry to start work. He left office after attending a monsoon review meeting with officials. There wasn’t any communication on the pending proposals worth Rs 1,500 crore. “Many proposals were not taken up for discussion in the committee on the last day including work of widening nullahs, trenching work of roads, etc. These works are necessary and proposals have to be approved. But the mechanism for it hasn't been decided yet,” said a senior official from the BMC.
Till now, every proposal by any department or ward office underwent the scrutiny of the department head, additional commissioner and received final approval from the commissioner before it was tabled in the committees.
“Now there may be a scrutiny committee. But as of now nothing is final,” said the officer. Municipal Commissioner I S Chahal remained unavailable for comment despite calls and messages.
Offices open, no instructions
All party and committee offices were open without office bearers present. As the term of the BMC ended on March 7, the offices allotted to political parties have to be sealed. But they were open with staff present as no instructions were received from the administration. “We haven’t received any information so we came. But none of the corporators came today,” said the staffer of a political party.
“There are no instructions from senior officials, so we didn’t issue any notices to anyone. There are official vehicles for chairpersons of various committees and a house for the mayor. Technically the properties should be returned to the BMC. But as of now nothing has been done," said an official.
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