Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 2: The vigilance department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stepped up its investigation into alleged corruption involving Rs 103 crore spent on beautification and slum improvement projects in South Mumbai between 2023 and 2025.
The vigilance wing recently issued a second reminder notice to the A-Ward — which covers prime South Mumbai localities such as Colaba, Cuffe Parade, P’ D’Mello Road, Marine Drive and parts of Ballard Estate — asking for comprehensive documentation of all development work carried out during the period under scrutiny.
The fresh notice, dated September 22, follows a preliminary site inspection launched after RTI activist Santosh Daundkar filed a complaint alleging irregularities. The vigilance department had earlier served the first notice on August 14.
According to officials, the inspection revealed serious lapses in record-keeping, incomplete works, missing documents, dubious work orders, and allegedly unnecessary constructions. Among the irregularities flagged were fake repair orders in Colaba, incomplete beautification at Badhwar Park, and partial work at a Shivaji memorial, which resulted in a savings of Rs 76,594 and a penalty of Rs 45,000.
A wider audit of 29 separate works under the project unearthed further discrepancies, yielding Rs 28.32 lakh in savings and Rs 12.72 lakh in penalties, raising questions about the transparency of the multi-crore initiative.
A copy of the vigilance department’s letter reviewed by HT shows the A-Ward was asked to submit a year-wise summary of development works, original work order files, and all supporting documents for examination. The department also cited earlier directives from the additional commissioner (July 24, 2025) and the chief engineer (August 14, 2025), which had called for accountability on the matter.
The letter further notes that despite the A-Ward’s assurance in a communication dated September 1, 2025 — promising to submit all documents after the Anant Chaturdashi festival — the records had not been provided until the reminder was issued.
However, A-Ward’s acting assistant commissioner Jaydeep More told HT on Wednesday, “I have submitted the documents asked by the vigilance department on September 29.”
The BMC’s vigilance probe is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as the department examines the submitted files to determine the extent of alleged financial mismanagement in the high-profile South Mumbai beautification drive.