Mumbai: BMC Standing Committee Rejects Proposal For 22 Scorpio SUVs, Directs Civic Body To Opt For EVs Instead

Mumbai: The BMC standing committee on Wednesday rejected a proposal to procure 22 Scorpio-N SUVs for assistant municipal commissioners and instead directed the civic administration to submit a fresh proposal for electric vehicles (EVs), stressing the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and promote cleaner mobility in the city.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the civic body had proposed hiring 22 Scorpio-N Z6 vehicles on a five-year wet lease at an estimated cost of ₹6.16 crore. Under the proposed arrangement, the BMC would provide drivers and bear fuel expenses, while the selected contractor would be responsible for maintenance and repair of the vehicles.

However, the proposal faced opposition during the standing committee meeting after BJP corporator Rajashree Shirwadkar objected to the move and questioned the decision to opt for diesel or fuel-based SUVs at a time when the government has been consistently promoting environmentally sustainable transport systems.

Shirwadkar stated that the BMC, being one of the country’s richest civic bodies, should align its policies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for clean and green mobility solutions instead of increasing dependence on conventional fuel vehicles, reported HT.

Leader of the House Ganesh Kankhar also backed the demand for EVs and said that the civic administration should simultaneously strengthen charging infrastructure across the city. He suggested that EV charging stations should not be limited to BEST depots and must also be installed at BMC-owned properties across Mumbai to support future electric vehicle adoption.

Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi too supported the move and urged the administration to install EV charging facilities at public parking lots operated by the BMC. He said such steps would encourage more citizens to gradually shift towards electric vehicles.

Following the discussion, standing committee chairperson Prabhakar Shinde directed the civic administration to withdraw the existing proposal and return with a revised proposal focused on electric vehicles for civic officials.

Earlier this year in January, the BMC had procured 54 Scorpio-N Z6 SUVs along with nine Honda City sedans on wet lease under a similar arrangement. However, civic officials later stated that the number of vehicles had proved insufficient as the requirement for committee chairpersons and other civic officials had not been fully considered, leading to the fresh proposal for additional vehicles.

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