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Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

‘Transparent, smarter, faster, and corruption-free’

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde dreams of Mumbai’s transformation with innovative ideas and team work Pic: Bhushan Koyande On May 22, Ritu Tawde completed 100 days as Mumbai’s Mayor. She is the only second Mayor of the City of Dreams from the BJP. In an exclusive conversation with Minal Sancheti, Tawde outlines her plans for Mumbai in the coming days. Excerts… What were some of the challenges you faced in these 100 days? With the support of PM Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, I...

‘Transparent, smarter, faster, and corruption-free’

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde dreams of Mumbai’s transformation with innovative ideas and team work Pic: Bhushan Koyande On May 22, Ritu Tawde completed 100 days as Mumbai’s Mayor. She is the only second Mayor of the City of Dreams from the BJP. In an exclusive conversation with Minal Sancheti, Tawde outlines her plans for Mumbai in the coming days. Excerts… What were some of the challenges you faced in these 100 days? With the support of PM Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, I got the position of Mayor of Mumbai. For four years, there were no corporators. People have expectations that the civic issues will be solved. Earlier, there was an administrator mindset and methodology of working without a corporator. This mindset needed to be changed. In addition to that, speeding up infrastructure work and projects was a big task. Civic issues due to pre-monsoon work, like drainage repair, cement concretisation of roads, and AQI, are the prime issues to be addressed. Can you tell us about your plans to make Mumbai develop in terms of environment as well as infrastructure? BMC is already implementing a cement concrete road project to ensure that the city is free from potholes. There are different infrastructure projects which are being undertaken by various authorities, including flyovers, metros, railover bridges, and redevelopment projects, etc. After the year 2014, Mumbai has seen rapid development projects such as the coastal road, Atal Setu, and Metro 3. These projects have really transformed Mumbai into a global city. BMC has also undertaken various infrastructure projects. Some of them have already been completed. As far as the environment is concerned, BMC has taken several measures. BMC has issued and is ensuring the strict implementation of pollution control guidelines. These guidelines apply to government construction sites and projects as well. BMC has developed urban forests at more than 60 places, and we are trying to create greener spaces at open plots, locations, and under flyovers, wherever possible. BMC also ensures the strict implementation of a ban on single-use plastics. We have approved the work on the Gargai Dam. The dam is being built to fulfil the future water needs of the city. It was long pending, and we also reduced the cost of building the dam. What changes are you planning in the city's administration? When contested elections were held by the BJP, we requested citizens to send suggestions so that we could achieve a good outcome and chalk out the plan. Based on that, we created a manifesto, and after winning the election, I, as a mayor and member of the Mahayuti alliance, have declared a 100-day programme. What are your priorities? Water, cleanliness, health, education, etc. My colleagues and I have decided to work on the ground because there is so much pre-monsoon work being carried out. This includes desilting rivers and nallas, road works, road repairing, trimming of trees, cleaning of side drains, and many others. Also, I visited some of the project sites, like the redevelopment of Siddharth Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital, to ensure speedy, proper work. The site visit always helps to take a stock of the situation and understand the ground realities. We see many demolitions being carried out. What do you plan to do with the spaces? The land, which is owned by the government, BMC, or any other authority, is always invaluable. These lands are important for developing the projects and extending the capacity of existing projects and infrastructure. Thus, if any encroachment or illegal construction is found, then it has to be demolished. Someone living on government land cannot claim ownership of the land. Before demolition, every authority ensures adherence to the procedure to vacate the space, which also includes verification of proof of residence and eligibility for rehabilitation. Those who are eligible get rehabilitation. What changes are you planning in the city's administration? We have started with the aim to transform the administration by making it citizen-friendly, faster, and smarter. By doing this, we want to meet the global standards. Mumbai, being the country’s financial capital, needs robust administration. We need 100 per cent digitalisation by incorporating AI at various levels and corruption-free governance. This is what we are aiming for. Being a local self-government, BMC is bound to provide basic civic services and amenities to the citizens of Mumbai. As I mentioned earlier, we have given sanction to the Gargai Dam project, which will boost water supply once completed. We have also launched the Mumbai Clean League 2026 to improve public sanitation and cleanliness at public and tourist places. This league will run for a year, and it will also invite public participation. We are also focusing on the improvement of the public health system. We are focused on the timely completion of hospital infrastructure projects, the development of the Hospital Information Management System, as well as the availability of medicines and other facilities. We have developed a dashboard where everyone can see the availability of beds at BMC hospitals. As far as education is concerned, we have initiated procurement of 27 articles from the GeM Portal, which are to be given free of cost to the students. This GeM procurement is happening for the first time in the history of BMC. The procurement will be placed on the GEM portal, ensuring a transparent and corruption-free process. This will also save crores of rupees. Do you think Mumbai's Mayor should have more executive powers? In what terms? Yes. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra and the financial capital of Bharat. BMC is the richest and biggest corporation in the world. Mayors and councillors are the representatives of citizens in general. To meet the expectations of the people, executive power and rights may be accorded. This would help to perform more efficiently. How do you look at the women's governance in the BMC? I am thankful to the CM Devendra Fadnavis. His visionary leadership and trust in women's power are something that the state has never seen before. In BMC, apart from the mayor, out of 27 different committees, 17 have been given to women, including BEST, Improvement, and Education Committee. The post of Municipal Commissioner has been given to a woman in the form of Mrs. Ashwini Bhide. It is for the first time that a lady has been appointed as a Municipal Commissioner in the history of 155 years of BMC. There are a total of 138 lady councillors in the house. There are many key administrative positions in which women are working. From the labourers to security, the disaster management, and administrative office work, in every possible position, women are showing they are efficient. In short, whether it is a deliberative wing or an administrative wing, women have already proved their mettle. However, society still needs to change its mindset and accept that women should be given more positions, rights, and dignity because women's empowerment ultimately results in the strengthening of society and the nation. What is something that you will do that the earlier Mayors did not do? Every mayor works in their own way, depending on the political party and the needs of the hour. Overall, the work depends on all the circumstances. So the work of a particular mayor cannot be compared to that of others. As the mayor of the BJP after 44 years in BMC, I feel that not only Mumbai or Maharashtra, but the entire nation is looking at the performance of the Mayor of Mumbai closely. I am aware of the expectation of the Mumbaikars since after four years Mumbai has got its Mayor. In the term, I will try my best. I will work for making Mumbai transparent, smarter, faster, and corruption-free governance. This will remain our core objective during the tenure. What is your dream project that you aim to complete? I wish to build a themed-based entrance at the check naka of Dahisar, Airoli, Mulund, and Vashi. We will make lounges, washrooms, restrooms, self-help group stalls, special rooms for women, a parking facility, a garden, and a green belt. We will ensure that the facility remains environmentally friendly. The work has already started at Dahisar.

Diplomacy in a time of Chaos

The Nepal crisis is testing India’s role as South Asia’s anchor amid increasing political turbulence.

South Asia’s latest bout of turmoil comes from Nepal, where widespread protests have left the political order in tatters. The pattern is eerily familiar. Over the past few years, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar have experienced similar convulsions. Different triggers, but similar outcomes of political chaos and social disarray. At the heart of this maelstrom sits India, tasked with navigating the fallout of its volatile neighbours while remaining true to its democratic values.


First, Sri Lanka, to India’s south, spiralled into crisis in 2022. Plagued by unsustainable debt and economic mismanagement, the island nation faced acute shortages of medicines, fuel and food. Mass protests culminated in the Rajapaksa family fleeing their stronghold, with the presidential palace stormed by angry demonstrators. India extended financial aid and diplomatic support, but the Rajapaksa exodus marked a painful chapter in regional stability.


To the east, Bangladesh’s recent turmoil was triggered by a controversial quota policy last year. What began as a student protest in Dhaka rapidly morphed into an insurgency as radical groups hijacked the movement causing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a stalwart in South Asian politics, to seek refuge in India.


Myanmar’s descent into civil war after the 2021 military coup remains a grim reminder of the region’s fragility. Despite scheduled elections later this year, dozens of ethnic armed groups continue to wage war against the junta, and the country’s prospects of democratic restoration appear bleak.


And now, Nepal - the jewel of the Himalayas - has joined the list. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s resignation follows a brutal crackdown in which 19 protesters were killed and hundreds injured. The trigger was a government ban on 26 social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. But the anger ran deeper than digital censorship. Gen Z protesters demanded an end to endemic corruption, unemployment, and political instability. Nepal’s parliament and Supreme Court were torched and its ministers were thrashed. Even opposition figures were not spared. Oli’s retreat was not so much a triumph of democracy than a capitulation under pressure.


The immediate challenge for India is to manage the humanitarian and security implications. Nepal shares an open border stretching 1,750 kilometres with India across five states - Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Bihar and West Bengal. Cultural and familial ties run deep between the populations. Furthermore, Kathmandu relies heavily on Indian exports, particularly oil and food, with bilateral trade standing at $8.5 billion annually.


Beyond economics and people-to-people ties, there are strategic calculations. China’s Western Theatre Command is stationed just across Nepal, making Kathmandu a potential fulcrum in Beijing’s ambitions to project power into the Indo-Gangetic plains. Moreover, over 32,000 Gurkha soldiers from Nepal serve in the Indian army under a special agreement, creating additional interdependence. Against this backdrop, India’s concerns about refugee flows, cross-border insurgency, and demographic manipulation are far from academic.


For all these risks, India is not the United States. It does not meddle in its neighbours’ affairs as a matter of policy, nor does it seek to impose solutions. New Delhi’s approach is one of strategic patience, backed by a record of assistance when invited. From supporting East Pakistan’s liberation in 1971 to offering billions in aid to debt-stricken Sri Lanka, India’s role has often been one of quiet stewardship rather than overt intervention.


The wider lesson of South Asia’s upheavals is not that democracy has failed but that it is fragile. India stands as a counter-example to the region’s instability. With 1.4 billion citizens governed by civilian institutions and regular elections, India has demonstrated time and again that democracy, however messy, works in the end.


The choice facing India today is stark. Either it helps its neighbours nurture democratic processes or it stands by as instability festers, empowering foreign influence and creating security vacuums. The recent protests in Nepal have shown that staging a revolution is far easier than preserving its outcomes. The rise of Gen Z leaders such as Balendra Shah, Kathmandu’s 35-year-old mayor and former rapper, may offer a glimmer of hope, but the path ahead is uncertain.


Ultimately, India’s diplomatic tightrope walk will be about securing a future where stable borders and not conflict zones, define South Asia. Without a peaceful neighbourhood, India’s ambitions of economic growth, technological advancement and global leadership will always face a looming shadow.


The choice India faces is not whether to intervene, but how to do so without compromising its democratic ideals. In this test of diplomacy, silence is not an option.

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