Corporators now want to swim for free

After getting laptops and BEST bus passes, the city corporators now want the civic body to offer them and ex-members of the civic body a complimentary life membership of municipal swimming pools and clubs.

After getting laptops and BEST bus passes, the city corporators now want the civic body to offer them and ex-members of the civic body a complimentary life membership of municipal swimming pools and clubs.

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This is likely to cost the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) a hefty sum. The BMC has seven pools across the city. The Shivaji Park pool, which was recently renovated, charges members Rs 4,000 annually.

Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) spent Rs1.25 crore to purchase laptops for corporators and it continues to spend about Rs550 per corporator per month on bus travel.

Corporators justified their demand saying they deserved the perks because they worked for the benefit of society and needed to swim in order to keep fit.

“We don’t know whether we will be re-elected. Hence, the facility should continue even after our retirement from the BMC,” said Manmohan Chonkar, 61, a Shiv Sena corporator from Bandra. Chonkar, incidentally, admitted that he did not know how to swim. Chonkar has moved a notice of motion (demand letter), to mayor Shraddha Jadhav. The demand will come up for discussion in the coming week.