Corruption and civic collapse have taken deep root in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), alleged Congress MLA Vikas Thakre on Wednesday. At a press conference held at Ravi Bhavan, Thakre claimed that “no work moves without money” in key NMC departments — including city planning, fire services, garbage collection, and encroachment removal.
Thakre said touts, allegedly handpicked by officials, openly demand bribes for clearing building plans and fire-fighting NOCs, and even shared that he had a phone recording of one such broker as proof. “From clearing a sewer line to approving construction, citizens are forced to pay,” he charged.
He said sanitation work in the city has collapsed — garbage piles are left for days, and cleaning workers show up only once a week, leaving residents suffering amid filthy conditions even during Diwali. Two contractors, AG Enviro and BVG, were found guilty of corruption and inefficiency, yet their contracts remain intact.
Thakre also accused the NMC of trying to crush a peaceful protest for the proposed Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Park on 130 acres at Nara. He alleged that officials, aided by police, demolished protest tents and insulted the Panchsheel flag, calling it an attack on social harmony.
Citing a “tender scam,” Thakre said the NMC violated norms by suspending offline tenders for works under ₹10 lakh, crippling civic services, especially in slums.
He further alleged that the OCW water supply operator, despite years of poor performance, continues to enjoy “unfair protection and benefits.”
Thakre demanded immediate action against corrupt officers, including Assistant Commissioner Harish Raut, warning that “Nagpur’s administration has turned into a marketplace of bribes while citizens drown in filth.”
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com