Mumbai: Six months after being initiated and subsequently stayed, BMC has cancelled the transfers of over 120 civic engineers following allegations of corruption.Last month, mayor Ritu Tawde had asked the civic body to “take note of the issue and take appropriate action” regarding the transfers. She was referring to a letter from Ramakant Bane of the Municipal Mazdoor Union, which called for lifting the stay on the transfers. Tawde had forwarded the letter to additional municipal commissioner Avinash Dhakne for action.“The transfers were initiated in Oct 2025. These orders were stayed by the then municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. The office orders for the transfer of 122 engineers are now being cancelled,” stated a BMC order issued earlier this week.Last Oct, RTI activist Anil Galgali and city BJP head Ameet Satam raised complaints with Gagrani, alleging a transfer scam involving senior BMC officials. Gagrani ordered a stay on all transfers, stating that those found irregular would be cancelled, while those compliant with rules would proceed.Calling the latest move a positive step, Satam said, “It sends a strong message that transfers in BMC will no longer be driven by vested interests. This is another blow to corruption, and we remain committed to ensuring transparent and corruption-free governance.”But Galgali pointed out that the mayor’s earlier letter had sparked fresh controversy. “Such sensitive issues should have been discussed with senior leaders and officials before issuing a letter, as it could affect BJP’s image. Largescale transfers can disrupt departmental functioning and ongoing civic projects, while also raising questions about administrative transparency and adherence to rules,” he said, adding that the cancellation of the transfers indicates that the process was not in line with established norms and was riddled with irregularities. Galgali demanded that the alleged “transfer market” within BMC be dismantled and called for the formation of an independent, transparent committee to oversee future transfers and ensure accountability.
