The number of civic complaints with BMC has increased from 61,910 in 2015 to 92,329 in 2017, which is 49% in two years. A report titled ‘Civic Issues Registered by Citizens and Deliberations done by Municipal Councillors in Mumbai’ released by Praja Foundation has found some interesting facts about the grievance redressal at BMC.

The report points out that while as per the Citizens Charter, a complaint should get resolved within three days, the BMC took close to 48 days in doing in the same in 2017.

There is a sharp increase in complaints related to licences, drainage and solid waste management. However, roads and water supply complaints have come down. The report also says that it took more than 66 days to resolve complaints on manhole when as per Citizens Charter it should take only one day. Last year senior cardiologist of Bombay Hospital, Dr Deepak Amarapurkar died as he fell into an open manhole during near Lower Parel during heavy rains.

With several infrastructure projects underway, nearly 46% days in 2017 recorded moderate and /or poor quality AQI. From 134 in Dec 2015 it deteriorated to 170 in January 2016 and 186 in 2017. BMC took 83 days resolve complaints related to pollution. The report also found that Action Taken Report generation on complaints related to pollution have decreased from 78% in 2016 to 60% in 2017. “This is surprising since air pollution is severely affecting Mumbai’s health and the MCGM is not taking necessary steps to curb the harmful effects of pollution” the report says.

It also found the number of toilets for women is almost one third of the number of toilets for men, an overall disparity of 64%. Complaints relating to ‘no attendance’ in public toilets took an average of 28 days. Under the ‘Swatch Certificate for Open Defecation Free Status’ banner Greater Mumbai has been declared 100% Open Defecation Free. C Ward (Marine Lines) which historically has a large floating population showed the largest disparity of 85%. E, R/Sand N wards have no provision for differently abled people to use toilets.” This is shocking since female gender is in dire need of support for sanitation infrastructure’ says the report.

“Dismal numbers such as these in a mega city like Mumbai are disheartening and the MCGM should make a concerted effort to correct this disparity,” said Milind Mhaske, project director, Praja Foundation 

It was also revealed that the maximum (138) councillors asked between 1-5 questions in 2017. Highest number of questions was related to roads closely followed by 125 questions on naming, renaming of roads chowks. About 38 councillors did not ask a single question between March 2107 (from start of elections) and December 2017, a lower figure when compared to 45 in 2012.