BMC Records Show Default on Payment of Water Charges for Government Bungalows
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed that 11 government bungalows, including those currently occupied by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, have defaulted on payment of water charges between 2021 and 2024. The total outstanding amount for all the government bungalows is Rs 88.59 lakh.
Outstanding Bills and Due Dates
According to the records, the government bungalows Varsha and Nandanvan, used by Chief Minister Shinde, have an outstanding bill of Rs 18.48 lakh since January and March 2022. Meghdoot and Sagar bungalows, currently occupied by Fadnavis, have an outstanding bill of Rs 2.73 lakh since April 2022. Devgiri bungalow, housing Pawar, owes Rs 4.38 lakh since April 2023 in water charges.
The Sahyadri guest house, serving as the official guesthouse for delegates and visitors, has an outstanding bill of Rs 35.99 lakh since April 2021. Parnkuthi bungalow, currently occupied by State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, owes Rs 6.52 lakh since April 2021. Sevasadan bungalow, housing Minister Girish Mahajan, owes Rs 1.56 lakh in water charges since April 2023.
Other government bungalows with outstanding bills include Ramtek bungalow, used by Deepak Kesarkar, Guardian Minister of Mumbai (City), owing Rs 11.3 lakh since December 2021, and Muktagiri bungalow, housing Minister Uday Samant, with an outstanding bill of Rs 6.83 lakh since January 2022.
Response and Actions
RTI activist Shakeel Ahmed expressed concern over the differential treatment, stating that ordinary citizens often receive reminder letters or face water disconnections for delayed payment. The responsibility for paying maintenance bills lies with the Public Works Department (PWD), according to the spokespersons from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister’s offices.
Additional Chief Secretary of PWD, Manisha Mhaiskar, assured that the outstanding bills would be cleared immediately. She stated that funds were released on April 1 for government departments, and she has instructed her department to prioritize the payment of all pending dues. A PWD official confirmed that the necessary funds have been allocated, and the outstanding amount will be disbursed by April 5.
