An assistant engineer from A Ward in South Mumbai has been suspended following serious allegations of misconduct and irregularities in managing municipal pay-and-park contracts. The suspension order was issued by additional municipal commissioner (city) Dr Ashwini Joshi, who suspended Pawan Kawre pending a preliminary inquiry into multiple irregularities in handling contracts for parking lots at prominent city locations. The irregularities came to light after a sting operation at Kala Ghoda, where senior officials with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) went incognito to park their cars at the pay-and-park facility outside the Jehangir Art Gallery.
Suspension order was issued on April 17, even before a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the contractor in Kala Ghoda and other locations, for overcharging motorists at pay-and-park lots, which was reported on May 15. Kawre is accused of serious lapses during his tenure as assistant engineer, particularly in overseeing paid parking projects at various sites in the city. The contract for managing the parking lot at Trident Hotel, Marine Drive, was awarded to Lakshmi Mahila Sahitya Group, and despite the contract expiring on August 31, 2024, the contractor continued to operate it until February 28, 2025, without any official extension or approval.
Furthermore, Kawre allegedly misled the administration by misidentifying the road as ‘Sir Dorabji Tata Road’ and failed to report double parking violations from NCPA to the Air India building. The contract managed by Pallavi Berozgar Samiti also expired on November 13, 2024, but operations continued till February 24, 2025, without any extension. The subsequent contract was awarded to an agency under an e-tender, dated October 3, 2023, without verifying mandatory conditions such as registration with the Charity Commissioner and inclusion in the employment exchange.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there’s a lot of confusion and mismanagement going on in managing these parking contracts. Despite the suspension of Kawre, pay-and-park operations in the area continue without interruption, which raises questions about accountability and oversight within the BMC. Former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar suggested that illegal contracts should be canceled, and parking facilities should be made free for Mumbaikars until new tenders are awarded. Activist Santosh Daundkar emphasized the need for more effective implementation of the BMC’s estate plot parking policy to prevent misuse by mafias allegedly protected by local authorities.
Overall, it’s clear that there are significant issues with the management of pay-and-park contracts in Mumbai, and it’s essential for the BMC to address these issues promptly to ensure transparency and fair use of parking facilities for all residents.
