My name is Vivek Trivedi. My family has called Mumbai home for five, maybe six generations. We were here when it was Bombay — when the sea breeze carried the scent of mills, when the trams clanged through the city’s veins, and when civic pride was real.
We saw Bombay become Mumbai, and the Bombay Municipal Corporation transform into the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — now touted as the richest municipal body in India.
As a Mumbaikar for over 40 years, I’ve witnessed all shades of the BMC — from its rare acts of efficiency to its deep-seated corruption. Despite having a budget larger than several small Indian states, Mumbai continues to struggle with potholes, flooding, encroachments, and apathy.
And while our city welcomes everyone — from every part of Bharat and the world — those of us whose roots run deep are often labelled “Gujju,” “Gandiya,” or told to “go back to Gujarat.” But this is our home. And watching it be systematically eroded by a cancer of corruption is a pain that is both personal and profound.
“I’ve lived my entire life in Mumbai, paid my taxes honestly, yet every monsoon I fear waterlogging. I see newly laid roads crack and public footpaths blocked. It’s humiliating that people must pay under-the-table money for basic amenities—a clear road, a permit, a water connection. This is not the Mumbai I believe in. If our leaders and officers do not act, citizens will lose all faith. We deserve better.”
My question is simple: With immense financial power and responsibility, what is the BMC actually delivering? And why does the common citizen feel so utterly helpless?
The Grand Illusion: What the BMC is Supposed to Do
The BMC holds an enormous mandate — one that, if executed properly, could make Mumbai a model city for the world.
On paper, its responsibilities are vast and noble:
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Public Health: Managing hospitals like KEM, Sion, and Nair; controlling diseases and maintaining sanitation.
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Water Supply: Maintaining reservoirs, pipelines, and treatment facilities for millions.
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Solid Waste Management: Handling collection, transportation, and disposal of the city’s waste.
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Roads and Infrastructure: Constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, and flyovers.
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Education: Running municipal schools and promoting primary education.
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Licensing & Regulation: Overseeing building permissions, shop licenses, and hawker zones.
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Disaster Management: Managing monsoon emergencies, flooding, and fire hazards.
On the ground, however, it’s a masterclass in inefficiency and corruption.
What’s Wrong: The Everyday Corruption We See but Can’t Fight
| Problem | What Happens | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Encroachment & Hawker Control | Railway stations, bridges, and footpaths are overrun. Hawkers pay “hafta” to local goons, police, and BMC officials for protection. | Public spaces vanish, citizens are inconvenienced, and illegal cash economies thrive. |
| Illegal Constructions | Empty plots suddenly sprout unauthorized buildings, later “legalized” through inside connections. | Endangers safety, disrupts planning, and fosters black money. |
| Poor Infrastructure Coordination | Roads are relaid, only to be dug up again within weeks by another department. | Wastes taxpayer money and turns Mumbai roads into hazards. |
| Systemic Bribery | Bribes are normalized — even expected — to get permits or avoid harassment. | Erodes public faith and weakens democracy. |
The “Hafta” Raj: A Micro-Economy of Extortion
This isn’t an abstract problem — it’s an everyday reality.
A vegetable vendor near my home in Malad once broke it down for me:
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₹500 weekly to BMC – for “occupying” a footpath.
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₹100 daily to local goons – for “protection.”
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₹200-300 weekly to police – for “peace.”
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Free goods – demanded regularly by local musclemen.
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₹100 weekly to political workers – for “support.”
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₹6,000 monthly rent – paid to someone who illegally “owns” that patch of pavement.
Over 100 vendors within 200 meters near Malad station pay similar amounts. That’s lakhs of rupees flowing in black money every single month — coordinated by the very people who are supposed to enforce the law.
Even worse, before any BMC raid, hawkers are tipped off by insiders. The system doesn’t just fail citizens — it betrays them.
The Real Estate Scam: Mittal College, Malad West
Near Mittal College in Malad West, a vacant plot of land told a familiar story. Almost overnight, a structure began to rise. When residents questioned it, the builders confidently claimed “BMC permission” and political backing.
The BMC arrived, performed a token demolition of a single door for the cameras, and left. Construction continued unabated. Electricity and water connections were magically approved. The message was clear: the system was complicit.
A year later, the truth emerged: a new road was officially planned for that exact plot. The illegal structure was a calculated move to extract massive compensation from the government. This was not a loophole; it was a heist, planned and executed by a corrupt network with insider knowledge.
The Infrastructure Circus: Where Do Our Taxes Go?
We pay:
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Income Tax
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Corporate Tax
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GST
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Property / House Tax
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Vehicle Tax & Road Tax
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Stamp Duty & Registration Fees
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Water & Sewerage Tax
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Professional Tax
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Trade & Health Licenses
And yet, what do we receive?
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Roads that collapse before the next monsoon.
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Drains that clog year after year.
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Footpaths tiled with imported material — then destroyed by the next repair.
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Beautification projects that last a season before turning into garbage dumps.
The tragedy is that corruption has become so normalized that if an officer takes a bribe but still delivers the work, he’s considered “honest.”
The Digital Plague: Corruption 2.0
Today’s corruption is smarter.
Officials demand bribes on WhatsApp, hiding behind encryption and “faceless” systems.
GST and income tax officials use coded language to extract money.
Technology that was meant to bring transparency has become a new mask for exploitation.
The Laws Exist — But Enforcement Doesn’t
India’s anti-corruption framework is robust on paper:
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Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – criminalizes bribery by public servants.
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Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 – for independent investigation of corruption allegations.
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Right to Information Act, 2005 – empowers citizens to demand transparency.
Yet, their impact remains symbolic.
The 2017 BMC Hawking Policy, meant to regulate street vending and eliminate extortion, is a failure visible on every street.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and CAG audits routinely expose irregularities worth thousands of crores — but few see punishment.
The problem isn’t absence of law. It’s absence of political will.
Why Citizens Are Losing Faith
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We pay taxes and get flooded streets.
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We complain and get token action.
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We vote and get recycled corruption.
Justice moves slowly, and those with power move faster. Ordinary citizens — honest taxpayers — feel cornered.
If this continues, anger will erupt. And when faith in the system collapses, law and order will crumble with it.
What We Need: A Citizens’ Charter for Accountability
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Zero tolerance for corruption: Suspend and permanently dismiss convicted officials.
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Full contract transparency: Publish all BMC tenders, projects, and contractor details publicly.
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Independent grievance redressal: Safe reporting channels for extortion or bribe demands.
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Better inter-department coordination: So new roads aren’t dug up within weeks.
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Citizen involvement: Local committees should oversee works in their wards.
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Swift and visible justice: Corruption trials must have time-bound results.
The Final Word: Mumbai at a Crossroads
This isn’t about politics — it’s about survival.
The spirit of Mumbai, built on honesty, hard work, and unity, is being suffocated by greed and apathy. The people of this city don’t ask for golden roads or marble footpaths — only accountability, transparency, and dignity.
If the system doesn’t cleanse itself, the people’s fury will. And when that happens, it won’t just be another monsoon of rain — it will be a monsoon of rage.
Thank You