With Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Nagpur on September 16 and 19, the district and civic administration have rushed to ensure that the roads along their travel routes are pothole-free. As per the local media reports, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which had previously delayed repairing potholes on the Wardha Road double-decker flyover near Ajni Metro Station due to jurisdictional disputes, swiftly completed the repairs.
Meanwhile, as the VVIP routes are being repaired, many roads frequently used by taxpaying citizens remain filled with potholes, posing a danger to lives and causing significant inconvenience.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is facing a severe staffing shortage, with nearly half of its sanctioned positions vacant across various departments. This shortfall has hindered the civic body’s capacity to effectively manage essential services such as road maintenance, public sanitation, and waste management.
A report from NMC’s General Administration Department, released last month, reveals a troubling 47.48% vacancy rate across departments. This equates to 8,537 vacant positions out of 17,981 sanctioned roles, impacting the city’s population of approximately 30 lakh spread over 227 sq km.
One of the hardest-hit departments is the Hotmix Division, which oversees road maintenance within the NMC jurisdiction. Out of 12 sanctioned positions, only six employees are currently on staff. A senior official from the department noted that the minimal manpower is directly contributing to the deteriorating condition of the city’s roads.
The Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for road infrastructure and public amenities, is also severely impacted. Out of 413 sanctioned positions, only 98 workers are currently employed, leaving 315 posts vacant. This staffing shortage has worsened the city’s road conditions, especially during the ongoing monsoon season, leading to significant concerns over potholes and deteriorating infrastructure.
The staffing crisis also affects NMC’s revenue-generating Property Tax Department. Of the 408 sanctioned positions, only 245 are filled, with 108 of those workers reassigned to other departments. This leaves just 137 personnel to handle property tax collection, estate management, and market regulation.
The manpower shortage has compelled top officials to assume multiple roles. Deputy Municipal Commissioners Prakash Warade and Milind Meshram, from the general administration and revenue departments respectively, are currently also serving as Assistant Municipal Commissioners for the Dharampeth and Laxmi Nagar zones. In addition, Meshram is responsible for overseeing property tax, market regulation, estate management, and several other critical civic functions. This added workload has strained their ability to effectively manage their primary responsibilities.
Even the condition of the sanitary staff is also not satisfactory. Despite having a crisis, around 1,218 sanitary workers were deployed to other departments.
An NMC official said any urban local body’s establishment expenditure should not be more than 35% of its budget. However, the NMC’s establishment expenditure is 34.26%.