How the return of elected corporators will reshape the BMC’s functioning

Who are corporators?

Corporators act as a bridge between the citizens and the BMC which is the governing body of the city. From each of the 227 electoral constituencies in Mumbai, one corporator is elected–each of them catering to a population of 50,000-60,000 people. These corporators address everyday issues from water supply and sanitation to fixing potholes on the roads and running public transport buses–the basic affairs that directly and indirectly affect the day-to-day lives of citizens.

The corporators are responsible for coordinating with the BMC for planning and implementing several civic works at the ward-level including road repairs and constructions, pothole-filling, sewage works, public health, sanitation and water supply among others.

The elected corporators also get inducted into several statutory committees in the BMC, which includes the standing committee, law committee, health committee, education committee, improvement committee, works committee and tree committee. These committees play a crucial role in shaping the administration’s decision towards framing new policies and clearing proposals and resolutions related to development and building infrastructure of the city.

“In general, a corporator acts as the messenger between the people and the administration. Their job is to get the things done that are creating issues for local citizens. For example, if a sewer is overflowing in an area, it is the corporator’s job to get the local civic officials on board and get it fixed. At the same time, if there is a requirement of improving a footpath or an open space in an area it is the corporator’s responsibility to put up a proposal with the administration and get the work done,” Dr Sanjay Patil, academician and researcher in urban politics told the Indian Express.

In Mumbai and all other corporations in Maharashtra, corporators are locally known as a Nagarsevak which translates to ‘city servants’–a nomenclature that is not used very commonly in municipal corporations outside the state.

This term first came to use after 1968 when the then undivided Shiv Sena contested the municipal polls in Mumbai for the first time and won 42 seats, demonstrating their strength.

“Earlier, the corporators were known to be Nagarpitas but in 1968 Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray made it clear that a corporator’s first and foremost responsibility is to serve the local citizens. Therefore, they were henceforth called Nagarsevaks,” said Patil.

How will corporators operate ?

With the corporators making their comeback, the BMC administration will have a much more granular approach in identifying and resolving the civic issues in Mumbai.

After the body of elected representatives got dissolved in March 2022, the civic body was run by the commissioner who is a bureaucrat. Therefore, in the absence of elected representatives, several hyperlocal issues would get overlooked since the administration’s main job was to ensure that all the big-ticket projects are on track and the overall mechanism of BMC’s functioning is in place.

As a result, issues related to sanitation, open spaces, improving pedestrian spaces and green spaces would often get overlooked.

Each corporator also gets an annual allocation of Rs 1.6 crore each. This money is being used by them for carrying out various works and projects in their constituencies. Some of these works may include setting up dustbins, fixing minor roads and drainage networks. Besides this, the corporator would propose formulation of big-ticket infrastructure projects in their wards which may include construction of a new bridge or setting up a sewage treatment plant (STP).

The general body of the corporator is also responsible for recruiting manpower in BMC. At present, the BMC has an employee strength of 1.6 lakh workers. A large chunk of these workforce comprises Group B and C officials whose clearance on recruitment also depends on the committee of the civic body.

Increased accountability and transparency

Also, the return of corporations will lead to increased accountability within the civic body and initiate the process of a formal feedback. In the past four years, the BMC commissioner or administrator wasn’t answerable to anyone. However, now the civic authorities will have to answer to the body of elected representatives which will be headed by the mayor.

Besides this, all the financial allocations of a project are being carried out through the civic standing committee which entirely comprises corporator members.

“The standing committee is the most powerful committee in the BMC. It has the power to approve or reject any project or proposal that is being mooted by the civic administration. If the committee feels that a certain project is unnecessary or going above budget, they can easily send it back to the administration for reconsideration,” Dr Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst told the Indian Express. Jondhale also maintained that even when a senior official like the municipal commissioner or an additional municipal commissioner would need to go for a long period of leave then they will have to inform the committee in advance.

Besides this, at the ward level there will be Prabhag Samitis or ward committees comprising corporators. These committees will be responsible for providing inputs pertaining to civic issues.

Corporator’s promise

As they prepare to enter the BMC after four years, the newly elected corporators state that their first and foremost priority will be to ensure all the stuck projects in Mumbai gain momentum.

Speaking to the Express, BJP’s Sandeep Patel, who will be serving his second term, said, “In my constituency, several key infrastructure projects like the extension of Mrunaltai Gore Flyover have been stuck for the past four years. My priority is to expedite this policy among all the other issues that have remained stuck for the past four years many of which are related to pedestrianisation, walkability and improvement of markets.”

Another BJP corporator, Harshita Narwekar, said her objective would be to ensure sustainability and development goes hand-in-hand. She also maintained that her other objective would be to involve citizens in the overall policy making in BMC.

“With air pollution woes grappling Mumbai for a while, one of the key issues that I want to address is to amplify the green cover of my area to ensure development and sustainability goes hand-in-hand,” Harshita said. She will be serving as a corporator for a second term now.