Mumbai: Amid recurring allegations of favouritism and a "transfer market" in the BMC, the civic administration is set to replace discretionary postings of engineers with a software-driven randomisation system to curb human intervention and improve transparency. While welcoming the reform, the Municipal Engineers' Association (MEA) demanded publication of all vacancies online, a three-to-five choice preference system, and a transparent merit-based framework.
Engineers’ Association Seeks Merit-Based and Transparent Transfer Process
In a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, MEA President Ramesh Bhutekar-Deshmukh sought a scoring system based on seniority, tenure, performance, experience and administrative requirements. He also demanded that the final merit list, scores and transfer orders be published online, along with a correction window, an online appeal mechanism and a fully computerised, auditable process to eliminate bias and arbitrary decisions.
Expected to be rolled out by October, the system will cover sub-engineers, junior engineers and assistant engineers, with postings generated automatically based on vacancies and transfer norms. Officials said the move is intended to end allegations of engineers securing preferred postings through influence.
The reform follows a series of transfer controversies. In October 2025, the BMC stayed the transfer of over 160 engineers after allegations of a "transfer market" in the civic body. The issue resurfaced in May 2026, when BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha alleged that around 55 officials from the scrapped transfer list were again being assigned the same postings under the guise of routine administrative transfers.
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