As much as Mumbai is praised, it is slammed too. Certainly, there are remarkable reasons why the city deserves appraisal, however, there are grounds which deserve attention and need focus for further development. Today, we have with us the Hon. Mayor of Mumbai, Mrs Snehal Ambekar, to discuss her views about the city and the plans she has laid down for its development.
Welcome to Spectralhues, ma’am.
What things drove you towards standing for the post of Mayor?
It is certainly a high position value. And I certainly liked it. I really felt good that I have been elected for such a highly respected position. There were three of us in the race for the post of Mayor. Among them I was selected by our party chief Hon’ble Shri Uddhavji. I felt really proud and glad to have got elected for this position. However, at the same time, I realized that the responsibilities have increased.
How will you describe the development that the city has been through, so-far?
Currently if you look at the development of the city, it has taken place appropriately, if you make a comparison of the past ten years. Because the roads have improved, good water facilities have been provided. I would like to tell that we provide the Number 1 quality of water in not just Asia but also in the entire country. We can challenge that the quality of our water is good. We have got an award for best city and best city public services in transportation. Also, two months ago, we have got an award for a “Better City To Live In”. We are trying provide good health facilities; educational facilities have also been improved. BMC school is the first one to provide virtual classroom
. Then we also have Tab system for improved education – we are giving BMC students tablets for educational purposes so that the burden of bags will reduce. From the month of June, we are giving tablets to the students of the 8th grade.
Where all do you think the city is lagging behind?
It becomes our responsibility to provide every person with civic facilities, which is a great responsibility. And if there is a fluctuation in supply and demand, if there is a difference, then it has an effect on the service, because of which the service gets inadequate for the locals and they face problems. For this thing, we are in communication with the Government of Maharashtra.
Recently the government has said that every slum dweller must be provided water, however, due to such provisions there are higher chances for increasing illegal huts in the future. Then, how are we to tackle the tax payers? This is why, our say is, the old huts are fine, but we refuse to legalize those on the roads or footpaths, and refuse to provide water to them. So currently, we are, more or less, opposing it.
You were in headlines some days ago for your reluctance for a red beckon, even though the Supreme Court has prohibited it. What is your exact opinion on this? Are you still in support for a red beckon?
Here, I would make a little correction: during the time of the earlier Mayor, Shri. Sunil Prabhu sir, the government had passed the resolution, that is, in it, they had given categories that the Mayor could not be given the Red Beacon, and that they could use a Blue Beacon car; there was a criteria in it (GR). And back then, Shri. Sunil Prabhu sir had appealed against it; had also written to the Hon. Chief Minister, the answer to which hasn’t arrived yet. Even, I realized this after becoming the Mayor. But, it is my opinion that Mumbai is the financial capital and her budget is equivalent to the entire Goa state. BMC has that much budget, and when V.I.P’s or V.V.I.P’s arrive, to receive them first is also our responsibility. So, do you feel they should go through all the range? This is not appropriate and priority needs to be given.
All these things are there, however, after I conducted a survey and did paper scrutiny, I realized that BMC already had an ‘A’ level and now it has also got to the ‘A+’ level. There was no mention of this in the GR. ‘A’ is not permitted, I agree, but why not for ‘A+’? So, I have asked their decision on this and have sought an explanation. If they say accordingly, then we can contemplate. But, nowhere there is a criterion for ‘A+’.
Hence, it is a top post, and Snehal Ambekar as a person does not require a Red Beacon but the post of the Mumbai Mayor requires a Red Beacon; this is my say. And I think, on this, even the citizens have a similar opinion.
How does it feel to become the Mayor of the city you have lived in?
It is certainly a great opportunity and I feel really good. Never in my dreams I had thought about it, because it is my first term as a corporator. And in such a first term, getting the post of the Mayor is like a dream. But, I would say that this dream could be successful only and only because of the party Chief Shri. Uddhav Thackeray sir. The trust and faith he instilled in me would never suffer a crack and I have shown readiness towards perfection. So, I have accepted this responsibility and I am working hard to become a successful Mayor.
What plans have you laid for the city?
As I just said there are many things under planning. Like BMC is the first school to provide a virtual classroom. Nearly 800 schools can be taught at one time from the studio. Even I visit the schools once a month and interact with the students there. We have our own BMC dam and so projects such as Pinjal and Gargai are on, importantly to provide all Mumbaikars with the 24 hours water facility, and this will soon be perfected in the coming future.
Being a female Mayor, I think those woman struggling for Right To Pee – be it the woman doing service or others – they should get a free loo, and I have much of my focus on planning it. Soon you will get to see its implementation as well. We are trying to provide it at places under us and for those locations which are not ours, we have sent NOC files to the Maharashtra government. If we get those NOCs, we will immediately start building toilets. I’ll be giving the concept of Bio-toilets through this, which will be free for women.
Tablets will be provided to students of the 8th Std., which will be having a guarantee of three years, so that it can be used for 9th and 10th grades also. This will increase the intelligence of students and even now our result has been really good, and it will be even better, I can assure you.
Cooper Hospital’s medical college will soon be starting. All the procedure for the same has been done and we are waiting for a signal from the Maharashtra government. Likewise, for the Govandi-based Shatabdi hospital, I have written to Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Devendra Fadanvis for help, so that we can work on it. Then we also have our medical facility for senior citizens and BMC is the first one to implement it and hence we are trying to solve the difficulties of the senior citizens. And in this, they have their demands to be given priority in the hospitals, which we have implemented.
They possess Yellow Case Paper because of which they do not have to stand in line in hospitals and can quickly get medical services. For those who cannot reach hospitals we are planning to have mobile hospitals in those areas. We will be starting recreating centers for them, and every ward will at least have one recreation center. If they want a room in school for their meeting purpose then we will be making it available for them for free, and also if they want to conduct any programs then halls are availed by charging Rs. 250 only. They said we do get a hall but have to spend for the chairs. So, we have given instructions to provide 50 free chairs to every school. We working a lot for the senior citizens as well.
Which issues will be there in your priority list as the Mayor of the city? 
Being a woman, Right To Pee is my priority. And though security doesn’t come under us, we can surely do women empowerment. The Women’s Savings Group (Mahila Bachat Gat) that we create are encouraged to stand on their own feet; education is given too. We provide scale and unscale training free of cost. We provide then with necessities so that they can start their own business from home. We provide with flour mill machines and spices machines. The conditions are they need to be from poor families, their Ration Card should be of yellow or orange color and they should be a part of our local section.
Ma’am, what message do you have for our readers?
BMC does a lot of work, however, citizens must extend their support by considering the BMC and the city as their own. If everyone supports the Cleanliness Campaign run by our Hon. Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi then I think cleanliness can be maintained! We must also stop others from dirting it.
Every citizen must show positive involvement in everything and if there is anything, I’ll try to solve it once it reaches me.
Thank you so much for interacting with Spectralhues, ma’am.
Interview Coordination: Shruti Dabholkar.
