No rule, yet approved: Taxis for panel chairs to add Rs60L burden on NMC

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation's standing committee on Friday cleared a series of proposals involving significant civic expenditure, but the meeting was marked by sharp opposition over what was described as questionable prioritisation and lack of legal backing in key decisions.At the centre of the controversy was the approval to hire taxis for chairpersons of nine subject committees — a move expected to cost the civic body around Rs60 lakh annually. The decision was passed despite officials admitting there is no specific rule governing such a provision. Congress corporator Abhijeet Jha opposed the proposal, arguing it violates the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and reflects arbitrary decision-making. He pointed out that a similar proposal was earlier rejected on the same grounds and warned that extending such benefits without statutory support sets a dangerous precedent. Jha also questioned the timing of the decision, stating that the civic body is already under financial strain and should avoid non-essential expenditure.However, standing committee chairperson Shivani Dani Wakhare defended the move during a press briefing after the meeting. She acknowledged that there is no rule prohibiting provision of vehicles to subject committee chairpersons, but justified the decision by stating that all chairpersons are working hard and require logistical support. According to her, providing vehicles will enable them to function more efficiently and deliver better results in their respective panels for the civic body.The meeting also exposed serious concerns regarding the city's fire preparedness. While the committee approved Rs55.32 lakh for installation of 33 fire hydrants, Congress corporator Wasim Khan flagged the number as grossly inadequate for a city the size of Nagpur. In a significant admission during the meeting, the fire department revealed that 12 fire stations currently do not have hydrants within their premises, raising concerns over the department's ability to respond effectively to emergencies.Beyond these contentious issues, the committee cleared multiple infrastructure and administrative proposals. Notably, projects and expenditures cumulatively exceeding Rs5 crore were approved, including allocations towards road construction, IT-related procurements and manpower deployment, indicating a substantial financial outlay in a single meeting.Key proposals cleared includeRs60 lakh annual expenditure for taxis for nine subject committee chairpersonsRs55.32 lakh for installation of 33 fire hydrantsRs32.94 lakh for repairs at New Administrative buildingRs29.29 lakh for cement concrete pavement workRs34.03 lakh for retaining wall repairsRs2.23 crore for cement concrete road constructionRs24.71 lakh monthly expenditure for nuisance detection squad personnelRs6.43 lakh for extension of a land acquisition consultant