Kalyan: A controversy over alleged irregular appointments in the Town Planning Department of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has triggered a political storm, with the issue reaching the floor of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and raising serious questions about administrative functioning within the civic body.
The matter intensified after Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, responded to a question in the Assembly, stating that no new posts had been created in the municipal corporation’s Town Planning Department and that no such appointments had been officially made. His response has further complicated the issue, as the ground situation appears to suggest otherwise.
According to sources, around a year and a half ago, the civic body’s approved staffing structure had not received final sanction from the state government. Despite this, officials allegedly restructured certain roles within the department and created positions such as Town Planning Development Officer (TDO) and Deputy Engineer.
Subsequently three officers were reportedly appointed to these posts.
The issue was raised during the ongoing Assembly session by Shashikant Shinde, an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party, who questioned how such positions could be created without state approval. He also sought clarification on whether around 110 building-related files had been cleared by these officials and whether any irregularities had occurred in the process.
Shinde’s statement in the Assembly denying the creation of such posts has now become the central point of contention. This is because Surendra Tengale has been functioning as a Town Planning Development Officer, while Deepak More and Suhas Pawar have reportedly been working as Deputy Engineers in the department.
Records indicate that on July 10, 2024, the then KDMC Commissioner Dr. Indurani Jakhad assigned Tengale additional charge related to town planning. The move was reportedly based on an internal proposal prepared by Assistant Director of Town Planning Santosh Doiphode, who suggested departmental restructuring to expedite planning-related work.
However, the proposal allegedly did not receive formal approval from the state government. At the time, several senior civic officials had also raised objections regarding the legality of the newly structured positions.
With the government now denying the very existence of these posts in the Assembly, questions have surfaced regarding the legitimacy of the appointments and the validity of files approved under these officers’ authority. Political and administrative circles believe that if a detailed inquiry is initiated, it could expose deeper irregularities in the department’s functioning.
Also Watch:
Clarification by Officer
Responding to the controversy, Surendra Tengale stated that his substantive post is that of Deputy Engineer, but he has been assigned additional charge as Executive Engineer (City Development and Planning).
My original post is Deputy Engineer. However, I have been given additional responsibility as Executive Engineer (City Development and Planning).
I am not approving PLA or TDR proposals, but working in the Town Planning Department because the original Town Planner holds the primary charge. Some people are deliberately spreading misinformation to mislead the public Tengale said.
