The Bombay high court on Friday suggested that municipal corporations and authorities be brought under one authority having statutory powers. Even as both political parties and bureaucrats welcomed the court’s view, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, who had raised the issue last month, also seemed satisfied with the suggestion. The high court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), suggested that there should be a single authority to provide better facilities to the citizens. It will act as a coordinator between the various civic bodies and also fix responsibility in case of negligence or failure to provide basic amenities. Mr Thackeray and Milind Deora, Union state minister for information and broadcasting, had last month demanded that the municipal authorities be given equal powers so that they can work with greater efficiency. Mr Thackeray had suggested that every local self-government be given an equal share of authority, be it a municipal council or a zilla parishad. This would help fix responsibility when they do not deliver as expected. “It is very important that the city’s civic bodies are given enough authority and funds to make them responsible for the work they do,” Mr Thackeray had said. The issue of potholes in the city has been surfacing time and again. While nearly 90 per cent of the roads in the city are under the BMC, the Shiv Sena-headed civic corporation has to bear the brunt for the potholes on the roads owned, operated and maintained by other agencies hence, Mr Thackeray had suggested one umbrella authority for all roads in the city.
