Navi mumbai: NMMC uses 'Red-Light' instead of official name in tender document, civic chief asks to remove it immediately

The engineering department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) preferred to use slang terminology instead of an official name of an area in a tender document floated for a footpath work. The name of the work of the tender mentioned the “Red Light Area” of the Turbhe ward instead of the official name of the area.

A senior social worker and human rights activist says using the terminology “Red-Light” in an official document is derogatory, and government officials must refrain from using it unless the document is extremely confidential.

A tender floated by the City Engineer Department of NMMC regarding the Construction of a footpath in the Turbhe Tekdi area under the Turbhe ward mentioned the Red-Light area instead as the official name of the area. The official name of the area is Turbhe Tekdi (Hill).

In the tender document, in the section of the name of the work, “Construction of footpath at Red Light area Turbhe store in Turbhe ward” has been mentioned. “As the area already has an official name, calling it a Red-Light area seems derogatory,” said Priti Patkar, a social worker, and human rights activist. Patkar is also co-founder and director of Prerana which has done pioneering work in the red-light districts of Mumbai.

Patkar said that using the right word is very important while talking about a particular section of society. “Unless the document is very confidential, the official name of the area should be used,” said Patkar.

When FPJ shared the document with the municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar, he admitted that the official name of the area should have been used in the tender document. “Soon after I came to know about it, I have directed the official to change it immediately,” said Bangar. He added that as per the norms, the official nomenclature of the area should be used. “Every area has its own official name and that should be used,” added Bangar.

The tender was floated for the construction of a footpath in Turbhe Tekdi in the Turbhe store area of Turbhe ward at a cost of Rs 21.31 lakh under the MLA fund 2021-22 with the deadline of June 13.