Mumbai, April 29: BJP Corporator Pratik Karpe, while speaking during the Budget discussion in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, asserted that "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai is reaching new heights of development." He stated that "Mumbaikars no longer want stagnation, but leadership of progress that drives the city forward on the path of development." During his address, he drew the administration’s attention to key issues concerning women’s safety, education, and healthcare in Mumbai.
Demand for a Special Committee for the Safety of Corporate Women Employees
Referring to the serious incident concerning women’s safety at TCS office in Nashik, Karpe strongly raised the issue of women’s safety in Mumbai. He said, “Lakhs of women work in Mumbai’s major corporate zones such as BKC, Andheri, and Lower Parel. The prompt action taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis through an undercover operation in Nashik is commendable. On similar lines, I have written to the Chief Minister requesting the formation of a joint special committee in Mumbai comprising of the State Government, the Women’s Commission, and the Municipal Corporation to ensure women’s safety.”
Progress or Stagnancy? Karpe Questions the house
While reviewing the previous administration’s performance, Karpe launched a strong attack on the opposition. He stated that by stalling projects such as the Bullet Train, Metro, and Gargai Project, the opposition had choked Mumbai’s development. He noted that had the Gargai Project been completed on time, Mumbaikars would not have had to face water cuts today. However, he added that under the Modi–Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government, Mumbai is once again firmly on the path of progress.
Karpe further proposed the creation of a holistic portal for municipal schools to publicly display teacher qualifications and student enrollment figures. He also suggested that structural audits of schools should be conducted in the presence of elected representatives.
For municipal hospitals, he recommended a real-time bed availability portal and dedicated help desks for citizens. To address the rising prevalence of autism, he proposed establishing one autism centre for every two wards in Mumbai.
To tackle traffic congestion, Karpe recommended the adoption of AI-based smart traffic signals and the development of underground parking facilities across the city.
He also congratulated the administration for making the Dadar railway station area hawker-free and demanded action against encroachments being carried out under the guise of scrap carts.
Concluding his speech, Karpe reiterated his confidence in the development agenda of the Mahayuti government. “The people of Mumbai have made up their minds. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Fadnavis, this era of development under the Mahayuti will continue uninterrupted."
