BMC's Cleanliness Enforcement Plan Hits Roadblock Over Uniform Row

Mumbai: Opposition to uniforms has emerged as a hurdle in the BMC’s plan to deploy Junior Supervisors (JS) for cleanliness enforcement, even as the civic body remains without a dedicated mechanism more than a year after scrapping the Clean-Up Marshal scheme.

The civic body had proposed uniforms for the team, but JS have opposed the move, stating it could hamper their effectiveness in field operations, said civic sources. Officials said JS will be issued official identity cards, with strict authorisation for fine collection limited to designated personnel. Each penalty will be receipt-based to ensure transparency and prevent abuse of power, with JS assigned specific zones for enforcement of cleanliness regulations.

After scrapping the controversial Clean-Up Marshal scheme in April 2025 over allegations of extortion and misconduct, the BMC proposed deploying 246 JS across Mumbai’s 26 wards to conduct street patrols, monitor cleanliness, and take penal action against littering and other violations.

The civic body is working on a permanent, staff-based enforcement model aimed at improving accountability and transparency in civic sanitation operations. However, the plan remains at the planning stage and is yet to be implemented.

A senior civic official said that the JS will be required to carry out street patrols along with their regular duties. “This time, we want to implement the system without any errors. A printing device has already been prepared, and the JS have undergone training on how to interact with citizens while issuing fines, generating receipts, and collecting penalties.

However, the timeline for rollout is yet to be finalised,” the official said. Kiran Dighavkar, deputy Municipal Commissioner said, "There is no plan of drive till date." Meanwhile, the BMC has revised its Solid Waste Management and Sanitation By-laws, 2025, after two decades, significantly increasing fines for littering, spitting, and other waste-related violations.

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The revised penalty chart includes offences such as feeding animals in public places and failing to clean up pet waste. Segregation of wet and dry waste has been made mandatory, while illegal transport of construction debris without permission attracts the highest fine of Rs. 25,000.

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