‘Running NMC Like Pulling Lord Jagannath’s Rath’

Nagpur: Running the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is akin to pulling Lord Jagannath's Rath — a massive task that moves forward only when everyone pulls together — outgoing municipal commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari said while reflecting on his tenure in the city.Interacting with the media after his transfer as commissioner of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority on Thursday, Chaudhari said governing a large municipal body involves continuous challenges ranging from basic services to financial sustainability.
"Running the municipal corporation is like pulling Lord Jagannath's Rath. It requires the collective effort of the administration, elected representatives, media and citizens," he said.Chaudhuri thanked political leaders, civic officials and the media for their support during his tenure. "Whenever there were mistakes, the media pointed them out, and when good work was done, it supported us. That constructive interaction helped improve governance," he said.Listing key initiatives undertaken during the past three years, Chaudhari said the civic body pushed several major infrastructure and environmental projects forward. These included implementation of the Nag River rejuvenation project, pollution abatement work on the Pora River, and flood mitigation measures around Ambazari lake. The corporation also accelerated cement concrete road construction and square development works across the city.On the administrative side, the NMC completed recruitment of around 500 employees after many years and introduced the National Pension System (NPS) for staff, increasing the civic body's contribution from 10% to 14% to ensure better long-term benefits for employees.Chaudhari said significant improvements were made in solid waste management, with the city's waste processing capacity increasing to around 1,400 tonnes per day. Centralised monitoring of garbage collection routes and expansion of vehicles and transfer stations helped improve efficiency.He also cited expansion of Akanksha schools, procurement of new fire department equipment including a 70-metre hydraulic platform for high-rise buildings, strengthening of disaster management capabilities, and opening of several new health centres across the city.However, Chaudhari admitted that several structural challenges remain for the civic body. One of the biggest concerns, he said, is improving the NMC's financial position."Property tax collection needs to improve, and the corporation must explore new sources of revenue. We initiated GIS-based mapping and AI-based assessment systems which could help identify additional properties and increase revenue," he said, adding that the pilot project showed encouraging results.The issue of street vendors remains another major challenge for the city administration. Chaudhari said accommodating all hawkers in designated zones would be difficult due to space constraints and competing urban demands."Hawkers are a livelihood issue, but managing them in a planned manner is a huge challenge. It is not possible to accommodate everyone in one place, so multiple practical solutions will be needed," he said.Reflecting on the administrative set-up during the absence of an elected civic body, Chaudhari said the system allowed faster decisions but noted that an elected general body brings broader consultation and local monitoring."In democracy, elected representatives are important because they ensure wider participation in decision-making," he said.