Mumbai: Appointment of clean-up marshals delayed due to digital payments software

The services of clean-up marshals were not renewed in 2022 after the contract ended amid citizens’ complaints of bullying. File pic

The long-pending appointment of clean-up marshals is on hold amid the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) efforts to set up a digital payment system to collect fines. Many citizens had complained of harassment and fraud by clean-up marshals while collecting fines. Amid the extortion allegations, the BMC did not renew the contract for marshals, which ended in 2022.

The BMC initiated the process of reappointing clean-up marshals during the past year. The initial deployment of clean-up marshals happened in 2006 and a reappointment took place in July 2016. Following Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's directive to create a garbage-free city, the BMC initiated various plans, one of them being reinstating the services of clean-up marshals. Accordingly, the BMC selected agencies at the ward level two months ago.

The digital payment system is expected to eliminate the chances of marshals taking cash fines without receipts. File pic

On December 21, 2023, Additional Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Sudhakar Shinde said that the BMC had given work orders and that clean-up marshals would be on the field within a couple of weeks. However, nothing has materialised yet and according to civic officials, they need two more weeks.

The current reason behind the delay is a software application being provided by the information technology (IT) department of the BMC. Because the clean-up marshals were alleged to be taking cash fines without issuing receipts, the BMC came up with a digital payments system for fine collection to ensure transparency.

"BMC's IT department is working on the software through which the payment will be managed. The proposal was sent to the administration for approval. The marshals will be on the road once the software is ready. We estimate that it will take two more weeks," said a BMC official.

"We are setting up a transparent mechanism to collect fines," said AMC Shinde. He had earlier said that he was aware of public complaints regarding the marshals' behaviour and that the corporation was working on it.

During their earlier appointment, each of the 24 civic wards had an institution through which clean-up marshals were roped in. The marshals are responsible for penalising individuals for various offences, ranging from spitting and littering to waste dumping and not picking up pets' waste.

Fines range between Rs 100 and Rs 1,000. Alongside this, the BMC aims to address concerns over air quality by having marshals monitor the dumping of debris in public areas and the burning of waste, both significant contributors to air pollution.

Rs 100
Min fine amount

Rs 1,000
Max fine amount

2006
Year marshals were first appointed

2016
Year marshals were reappointed