Mumbai: Nearly four months after re-launching its cleanup marshal scheme, the BMC has finally appointed teams of marshals for the P/North (Malad, Malvani) and K West (Andheri, Vile Parle West) civic wards. The team of 30 marshals each will be on field in these areas from next week. Currently, there are 879 marshals 22 out of 24 administrative wards and the civic body has collected Rs.1.72 crore worth of penalties from April 3 to August 18.
After a two-year hiatus, the cleanup marshals resumed their duties on April 3. To enhance transparency, the BMC’s IT department introduced an online penalty platform as part of the scheme. In high-traffic wards such as A Ward, which includes Nariman Point, Colaba, Churchgate, and CSMT, over 100 marshals have been deployed to manage cleanliness in these bustling areas.
However, there have been some challenges in wards like K-West, which encompasses Andheri and Oshiwara, and P/North, including Malad. In these areas, the scheme faced disruptions as the contractor withdrew from the project.
"A new agency has been selected for these two wards, and marshals will be appointed from next week. The marshals are equipped with a small printer connected to their mobile devices via Bluetooth, allowing them to print penalty receipts on the spot. The penalty amounts are directly deposited into the agency's account, minimizing complaints of extortion against the marshals," said a civic official.
Clean-up marshals are personnel appointed by the civic body to penalise the people for violating hygiene in public places. These marshals impose penalties on the basis of BMC’s 2006 Solid Waste Management bylaws. The marshals have the authority to impose fines ranging from Rs100 to Rs1,000 for littering. They are authorised to penalise individuals for illegal garbage and debris dumping, burning waste, spitting, littering, and not picking up pet waste.
The scheme was first introduced in 2007, but it faced multiple discontinuations due to allegations of extortion. The most recent contract ended in 2022, however, officials emphasize that marshals are crucial for maintaining order in the city and preventing garbage dumping in public areas.
Wards that collected the highest penalty(April to August)
Ward.......Fine collected
A....Colaba, Fort - Rs. 34 lakhs
R Central...Borivali Rs. 15.23 lakhs
K East ...Jogeshwari, Andheri East - Rs. 13 lakhs
R South....Kandivali Rs. 12.04 lakhs
L....Kurla.....Rs. 10.84 lakhs
