BMC Election 2026: Mumbai NGO flags 30 citizen-centric demands for civic poll candidates

Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC Elections the Mumbai North Central District Forum MNCDF an NGO representing diverse communities across Mumbai have made a 30point list of citizencentric needs to be placed in front of all candidates contesting the electionsThese demands reflect the collective aspirations of citizens for a transparent accountable and peoplecentric civic administration built on dignity safety and sustainability The aim is to ensure that the cityrsquos governance is done keeping in mind the fundamental needs of the citizensThe citizens forumrsquos demands1 Municipal corporators must compel BMCrsquos PRO department to rework its grievance redressal mechanism to make complaint resolution via social media robust timebound and accountable2 Councillors must push for a secure multilingual portal for lodging anonymous complaints with whistleblower protection3 Corporators must hold monthly citizen forum meetings with mandatory attendance of ward officers Unresolved complaints must be escalated to BMC commissionerrsquos lsquosabhasrsquo 4 Constitute a committee to conduct annual independent audits of BMC departmentsrsquo redressal of grievances Bring transparency by setting up a 24x7 multilingual helpline5 Prioritise pedestrian safety and accessibility in urban planning by implementing the pedestrianfirst policy in letter and spirit6 Push for the creation of dedicated pedestrian zones safe crossings and universal accessibility standards 7 Enforce strict criminal action against illegal hawkers and illegal encroachments on footpaths and roads Corporators must refrain from protecting illegal hawkers8 Develop a policy framework for the removal relocation and rehabilitation of lsquoAarey shopsmilk centresrsquo which are now being used to run illegal food stalls9 Corporators must convene joint meetings with citizen forums resident welfare associations before any road concreting project to avoid redigging of roads10 Implement a zeropothole policy with realtime reporting apps linked to contractor accountability Corporators must coordinate to take criminal action regarding substandard quality11 Install mobile public toilets across the city at densely populated tourist locations12 Coordinate with BMC and other authorities to enhance eastwest connectivity and work to revamp the Khar subway13 Appoint fresh ALMs to revive solid waste management initiatives at the source14 Enforce SWM rules and laws in slums with penalties for noncompliance15 Appoint marshals for the enforcement of SWM rules in slums16 Address poor cleanliness hygiene infrastructure and shortage of manpower in municipal hospitals17 Conduct mandatory annual audits of hygiene equipment medicines and staffing levels in civicrun hospitals18 Develop agefriendly infra reserved hospital beds transport concessions digital ID cards for seniors19 Establish mental health counselling centres in municipal hospitals and conduct awareness campaigns in BMC schools and communities20 Monitor wardsrsquo AQI in real time and enforce stricter norms for construction dust and vehicular emissions21 Enforce laws strictly on violation of air and noise mitigation guidelines issued by BMC for all construction sites22 Relocate kabutarkhanas to designated nonresidential areas with regulated feeding zones and implement notification of the state government23 Raise awareness that relocation of domesticated dogs and cats is illegal Run sterilisation programmes in collaboration with reputable NGOs24 Integrate BEST buses Metro and suburban rail with one appsmart card25 Implement AIenabled traffic signals and adopt a techdriven approach to avoid malfunctions in traffic lighting leading to traffic jams and accidents26 Enforce the parking policy and provide a realtime parking availability app27 Take strict action against illegal parking28 Demand a process for mandated asset disclosure of all BMC officials especially engineers29 Provide digital classrooms in all BMC schools Build infrastructure and manpower to enable AI skill development training30 Develop accessible sports complexes libraries and cultural hubs in every zone