Employees protest transfer of TMT's officer on special duty

THANE: In a surprise move, Ashok Burpule who was appointed as the officer on special duty (OSD) for the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) just last year has been transferred to the Mumbra zone.
Present Deputy Municipal Commissioner Nirputhe has been relieved since he has completed his tenure and Burpule has been appointed as the new DMC of Mumbra zone in Nirputhe's place.
However, the transfer has irked the TMT employees, as hundreds of employees protested against the transfer of Burpule and demonstrated a protest at the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) building. They alleged that Burpule had been transferred in connivance with the contractors and some members were having vested interests with the move. They shouted slogans condemning the TMC administration and Municipal Commissioner R A Rajeev.
The employees told the media that Burpule's transfer was cheating of an honest officer by politicians and bureaucrats. According to the employees, the TMC had caused damage to the TMC and the city by transferring an officer who had taken action against the erring TMT employees, who were not punctual and under performing and were causing loss to the transport body.
"The municipal commissioner should cancel Burpule's transfer and allow him to complete his tenure," they said. A senior official said, "The municipal commissioner was upset with the style of functioning of Burpule. People's apprehension that Burpule would be shifted has come true."
Ajay Joshi, a member of the TMT committee admitted that the administration had reservations about Burpule's style of functioning. He said, the commissioner has taken an independent decision without taking the committee members into confidence. He added, "Burpule was never popular, while some section of the employees and corporators believe that he has brought a sea change in the TMT and has improved the revenue.
He pointed out that the tenure of DMC Mumbra zone had expired and somebody had to replace him. He was on deputation and he has to report to the state government, hence, the municipal commissioner has transferred Burpule as DMC of the Mumbra zone. "There is nothing wrong in it," he concluded.
It may be noted that the GB house had taken stern steps to prevent the loss making TMT sink further into the reds and had appointed Burpule. The OSD had been given sweeping powers to take spot decisions to improve the efficiency of the TMC owned transport. The five members, special committee closely monitored the day to day affairs of the TMT and the efforts were paying off.
Burpule targeted a group of TMT bus conductors and drivers who had been enjoying no work and all pay. These employees had strong political connections due to which the TMT administration did not take action against them. The high profile backed group of staffers simply passed their time in the TMT headquarters and the TMT services bore the brunt.
The OSD had cracked the whip on such employees making them work. "The protest of Wednesday is believed to have been orchestrated by someone who are godfathers of the employees, or who had malafide intention," said another committee member.
Sources said that Burpule had been an upright and unbending officer and reportedly was not willing to bow down to the influence of elected representatives of the region. It is gathered that he was primarily responsible for restricting the contractor's and corporator's activities in the TMT.