Mumbai, May 23: A sharp debate in the BMC Standing Committee on Friday exposed growing unease over the civic body’s dependence on external Project Management Consultants (PMCs), with corporators flagging rising costs and the steady sidelining of municipal engineers. The backlash forced multiple proposals for consultancy appointments in water infrastructure projects to be stalled.
Consultancy proposals for four major water projects — including the Manori desalination project’s 2,000 Million Litres Daily (MLD) pumping station in Bhandup and a 3,000 mm pipeline from Gundavali reservoirs — triggered sharp objections in the Standing Committee.
Civic records show the BMC planned to hand all contracts to a single consultant, drawing criticism from corporators who accused the administration of overreliance on private firms and misuse of public money.
Corporators object to consultant appointments
Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Yashodhar Phanse questioned the growing sidelining of civic engineers in water projects, asking why consultants were being preferred over in-house expertise. BJP House Leader Ganesh Khankar mocked the trend, saying consultants might soon end up drafting even the Municipal Corporation’s budget.
Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde directed the administration to halt the proposals and limit the appointment of consultants only to specialised cases requiring technical expertise. “The BMC must use its own engineers and appoint consultants only when essential,” Shinde said.
Concerns raised over transparency and costs
The controversy highlights the BMC’s growing reliance on external agencies for major infrastructure works, a trend that has drawn sustained criticism over transparency gaps, accountability concerns, and rising consultancy expenses.
Also Watch:
Earlier this month, the Standing Committee scrapped a Rs 23.35 crore proposal to appoint a consultant for the Pise-Panjrapur water purification project, which seeks to boost treatment capacity from 1,365 MLD by an additional 910 MLD to meet Mumbai’s rising water demand.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
