After 6-month break, clean-up marshals to be back on Mumbai's streets from September

MUMBAI: Six months after they went off the roads, clean-up marshals will be back in Mumbai in September. The BMC recently finalized new agencies for deploying clean-up marshals across the city's 24 wards. Each ward will have a minimum of 30 marshals, and BMC officials said that there would be close to 1,200 marshals across the city to fine people for spitting, littering or dumping debris in public places.
The BMC had stopped penalising citizens for not wearing face masks in public places as its contract with the agencies hired for deploying clean-up marshals, who fined those not complying with the mask mandate, ended in March this year. The clean-up marshals had played a big role in enforcing the mandatory wearing of masks in the city, though they came in for criticism for targeting people. The marshals had fined more than 35 lakh citizens and collected over Rs 80 crore as penalty.
"The contracts have been finalized. One company has been given one ward each, with 30 marshals. We have given them a one- month mobilisation period, where they will have to get police verification of all marshals done. It is a one-year contract. We have made provision of a huge fine for any default by companies," said a senior civic official.
Sangeeta Hasnale, deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management, confirmed new clean-up marshals will be deployed soon.
While clean-up marshals were first introduced in 2007, there have been many instances of marshal misbehaving with people and even trying to extort money from citizens. Last year, a video of clean-up marshals misbehaving with those not wearing masks had gone viral. Following this incident, the then mayor Kishori Pednekar had held a workshop of marshals asking them to fine those who don't wear masks but not to misbehave with them.
"For the first instance of any authentic complaint, we will impose a fine of Rs 25,000 on the company, Rs 1 lakh for the second instance and Rs 2 lakh for the third. If there is a further complaint, the company's contract will be cancelled and a police complaint lodged. The company's security deposit will also be lodged. 15% of staff will be female. All marshals will have to display name badges. We have also given strict instructions that marshals should behave in a courteous way and be disciplined," said a civic official.
After opposition from several sections, including citizens and corporators, the marshals scheme was disbanded in 2011. It made a comeback in July 2016 but has since come under fire many times.