In Mumbai: MNS mocks chief road engineer of BMC with ‘I’m to blame’ sign

The chief engineer (roads) of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a police complaint against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena corporators and workers on Wednesday for humiliating him in public.

The chief engineer (roads) of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a police complaint against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena corporators and workers on Wednesday for humiliating him in public.

The chief engineer holding the sign on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The corporators had taken chief engineer Sanjay Darade for a site visit but once they were there, he was made to hold a board which read, “I, chief engineer (roads), am responsible for these potholes. Citizens, please take note.”

The incident occurred near Gomantak hotel in Dadar on Wednesday afternoon. Darade submitted a written complaint at Shivaji Park police station that evening.

The corporators he has named in the complaint include MNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande and Santosh Dhuri. Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta confirmed the complaint. “We are going ahead with a police complaint and will pursue the case,” he said.

Sources said that the administration is also looking at debarring corporators from important committees. Both Deshpande and Dhuri are members of the standing committee.

Deshpande said that MNS had already warned the official of their step if he failed to repair the potholes between Sena Bhavan and Kabutarkhana in Dadar, his constituency.

“What am I supposed to do when citizens ask me about the bad roads? I am tired of repeating the issue in BMC meetings as there is no action taken. Last week, I had warned Darade during the standing committee meeting but nothing happened. This is why we took this move. Let them file any complaint. We did not harass him,” said Deshpande .

Darade did not want to comment on the issue.

Shiv Sena, the ruling party in BMC, condemned MNS’ for the incident. Trushna Vishwasrao, Sena corporator, said, “Nobody can deny that the city roads are in a bad shape but we cannot hold one official responsible for it.”