Mumbai:
MUMBAI: In a major reshuffle among its engineers--usually in news for their corrupt practices and their unholy nexus with contractors and builders -- the BMC has transferred as many as 200 technical staff to other departments this week.
This is the first time that the corporation has re-assigned duties on such a mass scale, defying popular belief that such shifts "could create a vacuum in the 3,000-plus engineering force". However, to make up for the loss, 250 new engineers would soon be recruited.
Many of the cadre, shifted either with a promotion or on the same rank to other departments, had either overstayed their tenure or were caught in a bureaucratic loop for years on end, an official said. Moreover, he added, the move was taken as senior officials wanted to check corruption rampant in high-profile departments such as building proposal and development plan. Civic officials working in a department for too long, reportedly tend to forge unholy nexus with contractors.
"These transfers and promotions is not only meant to cleanse the system but also to provide relief to many who have been languishing in the same post for several years," said an official.
Most among the engineers welcomed the move as many of them had earlier "lost out on prestigious posts despite having the right aptitude and skills". There was no scope for behind-the-door lobbying, one of them said. "This is a breath of fresh year. Most of us are satisfied and those with a problem have been called for a hearing," said an engineer.
Over the years, corporation and its staff has earned a dubious reputation of being the first on the list of most corrupt government agencies. According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, most of the BMC-related cases involve those in the engineering department as they are the ones in charge of providing the basic civic services.