Mumbai: Several citizens from BMC’s F-North ward — covering Sion, Matunga, and Dadar — have expressed frustration over the frequent transfers of ward officers. The latest case is that of Nitin Shukla, a first-time assistant municipal commissioner who was appointed on Feb 5, but transferred to B ward just weeks later on March 29.
On Saturday, residents launched a signature campaign demanding Shukla’s reinstatement, with members of BMC Engineers’ Union also joining the effort. King’s Circle-resident Nikhil Desai said, “The last two ward officers, Chakrapani Alle and Prithviraj Chavan, didn’t even complete a year in F-North ward. Now, Shukla was transferred in less than two months. BMC’s own policy states that a ward officer must be in the same post for three years — H-West ward had the same officer for five years before a transfer. But in F-North ward, transfers are happening far too casually, and it’s the citizens who pay the price.”
BMC, however, called the transfers routine. — Richa Pinto
