MMRDA spent Rs40lakh on image makeover this year: RTI

The Congress-chaired Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) spent Rs 39,57,972 over an image building exercise earlier this year.

As per details obtained under the Right To Information Act by activist Anil Galgali from the infrastructure body, Ad Factors Private Limited a public relations agency was hired for a duration of six months.

"They have been paid Rs 39,57,972 for the months of January-February-March 2014. Now an amount of Rs 7,86,520 is yet to be released by the MMRDA," said Galgali.

The MMRDA had appointed the same public relations agency for the year 2013 on limited scope of work basis.

However, prior to the Lok Sabha elections, MMRDA projects like Mumbai Monorail, Santacruz Chembur Link Road, etc were scheduled for opening for which the state agency wanted to have a communication strategy despite there being no specific directive or order from the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who heads the MMRDA.

Even though the RTI reply states that there was no facility provided to Ad Factors, the fact is that a cabin was provided to the agency within the head office of the development authority at Bandra Kurla Complex on a temporary basis.

In the last decade, that is from 2005 onwards, the MMRDA has spent a few crore by appointing public relations agencies like Lintas, Sampark and Clea.

"This is nothing but waste of government funds and resources when the MMRDA themselves have a Public Relations Department as well as a full fledged team," added Galgali.