BMC chief to call back all staff from Darades' bungalow

The Darades continue to occupy the BMC's official bungalow at Malabar Hill despite Pallavi Darade ceasing to be a BMC official more than a year ago

Following a clamour by corporators to get FDA Commissioner Pallavi Darade and her husband Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Pravin Darade out of the civic body's bungalow at Malabar Hill, Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta has assured action in the matter.

He has said he would take back all the municipal staff posted at the bungalow and write to the state government to pay all power and water bills generated by the bungalow.

Last week, during a meeting of group leaders from all parties, corporators demanded that the Malabar Hill bungalow the Darades were staying at be taken back. The bungalow was allotted to Pallavi Darade when she was additional municipal commissioner. After her transfer, she was supposed to vacate it and as per procedure, it was to be allotted to the additional municipal commissioner who had replaced her.

However, Pallavi Darade, who is officer of IRS (Indian Revenue Services) cadre, and her husband, an IAS officer, with the help of state government's general administration, got a stay on vacating their bungalow till their retirement. Corporators had called it illegal as it was BMC's bungalow and the state could not make any decisions regarding it.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go