Cracks in the Alliance? Why Mumbai’s Deputy Mayor skipped critical monsoon inspections as deadlines loom

May 7, 2026 Headlinesnews

3 min readMumbaiMay 7, 2026 07:50 PM IST

Cracks have surfaced within the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday, after Deputy Mayor and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Ghadi accused BJP leaders of sidelining Sena members during inspections of the city’s ongoing pre-monsoon works.

While inspecting desilting work along Safed Nallah and the Mithi river in Kurla on Thursday, Ghadi said Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde had not informed him about inspection drives conducted over the past two days.

The remarks come amid the BMC’s large-scale pre-monsoon preparedness exercise, which includes desilting drains and the Mithi river, installation of dewatering pumps and flood mitigation works across the city.

Over the last two days, Tawde inspected desilting work in Bhandup, Mulund East, Ghatkopar and Kurla West along with BJP leaders, including Standing Committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde and local corporators. Following the inspections, Tawde directed civic officials to complete desilting targets before May 31 using robotic systems, AI tools and CCTV monitoring to improve transparency.

However, Ghadi remained absent from the mayor-led inspections, triggering speculation over friction within the alliance.

On Thursday, Ghadi carried out a separate inspection in Kurla and instructed officials to prepare evacuation plans for flood-prone areas. He said desilting work in L ward was progressing on schedule and was likely to be completed within the deadline.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ghadi said, “The Mayor had not informed me about the inspection drives conducted through her. I don’t know why we were not informed about the drive. However, we should have been invited for the inspection as we have been elected to the

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BMC together as a part of the Mahayuti alliance. While there is no fixed protocol, there is a general custom that the Deputy Mayor generally goes along for inspections. Ideally, there should also be a fixed agenda outlining who conducts inspection in which part of the city.”Tawde responds.

Responding to the allegations, Tawde denied any discord and said the inspections were being split across the city to speed up monitoring work.

“The target for pre-monsoon desilting of May 31 is nearing. Why should we create crowding in one place? If we carry out inspection across all directions, then cleaning will be much better,” Tawed told reporters.

This is not the first sign of unease within the alliance at the civic body. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Amey Ghole had written to former BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani alleging protocol violations after the Deputy Mayor was made to sit in the fourth row during the launch of the ‘Mumbai Clean League’ initiative in the Mayor’s absence.

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According to civic officials, the BMC has completed 51 per cent of its desilting target so far, with the island city recording the highest progress at 59 per cent, followed by 57 per cent in the western suburbs.

Desilting is carried out annually to reduce flooding during monsoon, with 80 per cent of the work scheduled before the onset of rains, 10 per cent during the monsoon and the remaining 10 per cent after the season ends.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai’s residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialized Focus: Nayonika’s reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India’s largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:

Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai’s hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

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