‘Talk to Mayor’ programme on hold for weeks as KMC shifts to election preparations

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s public outreach programme “Talk to Mayor” has remained irregular for nearly one and a half months as administrative priorities shift ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The weekly initiative, which allowed residents to directly present complaints to the mayor every Friday, has reportedly been cancelled several times in recent weeks due to administrative engagements and other commitments.

According to sources within the corporation, Mayor Firhad Hakim’s increasingly busy schedule has contributed to the disruption of the programme. In recent weeks, the mayor has been attending a series of inaugurations and foundation-laying ceremonies across several wards and peripheral areas of the city as part of ongoing development initiatives.

The rush of project announcements and public events has also affected the functioning of the corporation’s secretariat department. Employees have reportedly been engaged in organising inauguration ceremonies, preparing invitations, and managing stage arrangements, which has slowed routine administrative work and the processing of files.

The situation has triggered political reactions within the civic body. BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh criticised the municipal administration, alleging that the focus has shifted towards repackaging old projects for electoral advantage instead of addressing citizens’ grievances. According to him, the mayor’s attention is now largely directed toward inauguration programmes rather than public interaction.

Responding to the criticism, Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh rejected the allegations, stating that inaugurating projects is a routine administrative process once tenders are completed and work begins. However, with the outreach programme remaining on hold for weeks, many residents remain concerned that their civic issues may continue to remain unresolved amid increasing election-related activities.