Mumbai: The BMC has sought ₹34,000 from former corporator Rajul Patel to provide information on the city’s much-touted beautification project under the Right to Information Act.
Patel was a Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator from the Behram Baug area in Jogeshwari West. She had won the election in 2017 and was on the standing committee as well as the health committee chairman in the BMC.
"How can a common person pay this kind of money," asks Patel
Concerned about the progress made in beautifying the city, she filed an RTI application with the maintenance and expenditure department of the civic body. “In its reply, the BMC has sought a hefty fee. How can a common person pay this kind of money to know what rightfully should be given when asked?” she said.
In the application, Patel has sought information on the breakup of developmental work, infrastructure and beautification works undertaken between April 2022 and March 2023 in the K-West ward from Andheri to Jogeshwari West. She also sought information on expenditure and details of work orders given to contractors and photographs of before and after work of wards 59 to 79 (Andheri West and Jogeshwari West).
The BMC undertook beautification of the city on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s direction last year. It has made a provision of ₹1700 crore for the project that includes painting and illumination. However, a lot of efforts were reportedly washed away owing to heavy rainfall in July.
