It’s official: Municipal Corporation of Delhi back as 3 corporations merged into one

NEW DELHI: The three civic bodies were formally unified into one Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Sunday with senior bureaucrat Ashwani Kumar taking over charge as the special officer and Gyanesh Bharti becoming the commissioner. MCD was trifurcated over a decade ago.
Marred with allegations of corruption, MCD has its task cut out, the first challenge being managing the financial crisis it faces as an imminent threat to its fruitful functioning as a service provider to the city’s residents.
Kumar, an IAS officer of 1992 batch of AGMUT cadre, was earlier chief secretary of Puducherry and principal secretary in Delhi’s Public Works Department. PWD closely coordinates with the civic bodies on many issues, like cleaning of drains, managing roads and other public infrastructure.
However, the questions remain as to how the unified corporation would benefit the common public. Almost all political outfits have backed a single body with the hope to end the chaos that ensues due to multiplicity of authorities.
MCD is one of the largest municipal bodies in the world, providing civic services to approximately 20 million citizens. It occupies an area of 1397.3 square kilometres sub-divided into 12 zones — Central, South, West, Najafgarh, Rohini, Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, Sadar Paharganj-City, Keshavpuram, Narela, Shahdara North and Shahdara South.
Over the past few years, payment of salaries has been challenging, mainly in the north and east corporations. Sanitation workers, doctors, teachers, anti-mosquito breeding checkers, all have protested for days demanding timely payment of salaries. After the unification, with all resources pooled together, they may get some relief.
“Apart from funds, unification will ensure that resources, income and expenses are balanced. North corporation currently experiences salary delays on a regular basis. With uniformity, taxes and policies will be one, which will benefit the public and reduce the chaos,” said Yogendra Singh Mann, former director of north corporation’s publicity and information wing.
The next stage would be uniting all workers under one roof. While the number of lower-rank employees will remain stable, senior positions may decline. Three mayors, three commissioners and 12 additional commissioners increased the expenses manifold, which were major contributors to the financial crisis. Experts hope the unification will curtail office and meeting expenses, along with funds used by politicians and officials.
Calling the postponement of the MCD elections a threat to the nation’s democracy, AAP had opposed the sudden unification of the three corporations into one and demanded that it be done after the civic polls.