Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde Orders Civic Chief to Seek Prior Approval for Proposals

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has directed Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to seek her prior approval before processing or clearing any proposals issued in her name, following controversies over works related to her bungalow in Byculla Zoo and the appointment of social media personnel.

The directive came after disputes arose over a proposed second phase of renovation at the Mayor's bungalow in Byculla Zoo and a Rs 25.12 lakh BMC contract to manage the Mayor's social media. The contract, covering the period from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027, was awarded to M/s Runtime Solutions Pvt Ltd. Proposal documents revealed that no tender process was followed for awarding the contract.

The social media proposal was listed before the Standing Committee on Thursday but was dropped without discussion. Standing Committee Chairman and senior BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde declared the proposal "not taken" amid the surrounding controversy.

The issue was raised again during Friday's BMC General Body meeting. BJP corporator Preeti Satam demanded that an assistant commissioner be appointed to head the civic body's Public Relations Department, asserting that any attempt to damage the Mayor's image must face action. Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar supported the demand.

Opposition leaders also challenged the proceedings. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi questioned why the Standing Committee did not discuss the proposal, stating a discussion could have clarified how the Mayor's name was associated with it and suggesting the Mayor's image was being tarnished internally. Opposition leader and Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Kishori Pednekar alleged that the Mayor was speaking through Satam while demanding action against the PRO department.

Speaking to reporters, Tawde confirmed she wrote to the Municipal Commissioner, warning that she would take action if any proposal using her name was brought to the Standing Committee without her consent. Tawde stated that the PRO department manages a budget of nearly Rs 100 crore and needs a senior officer to lead it. She had earlier clarified that she had not requested the renovation work or the appointment of a private agency for social media.