Mumbai, July 30: The Maharashtra government has decided to leverage advanced technology to enhance transparency and quality in urban local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipalities, and councils. This initiative aims to oversee government-funded development projects effectively.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), geo-tagging, and GIS mapping will now be utilized for technical and social audits of public construction works. This decision follows Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s announcement during the state assembly’s monsoon session, emphasizing a phased implementation of technology-based audits to improve accountability and quality in urban infrastructure projects.
In line with this commitment, the state government has issued an official government resolution (GR). A special study group has been formed under the leadership of the Commissioner and Director of the Municipal Administration Directorate.
Urban local bodies have frequently faced allegations of poor construction in roadworks, water supply schemes, and civil projects, alongside issues of inadequate infrastructure maintenance and misuse of funds.
The GR states that real-time tracking through geo-tagging and AI will enable officials to monitor each phase of work directly. This is expected to significantly enhance quality standards and transparency in operations.
The GR further outlines that the new audit framework will incorporate modern technology and community participation. AI tools will analyze project accuracy and assess overall construction quality. Real-time online monitoring will track physical progress to ensure projects are completed within set timelines. The audit process will involve not only government officials but also local citizens, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), NGOs, technical experts, educational institutions, and public representatives.
The newly formed committee has been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report to the state government within a month.
The committee will suggest improvements to the existing technical and financial audit framework, propose solid strategies for accurate work, evaluate the tangible impact of civic projects on local communities, and ensure that ongoing and proposed infrastructure works meet quality standards and deadlines.
Earlier in the monsoon session, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde informed the assembly that the use of AI, geo-tagging, and GIS mapping would establish an independent audit and monitoring system for development projects in the state’s urban local bodies.
He also mentioned that this technology-based monitoring framework is part of a broader initiative to modernize urban administration in Maharashtra. It will work in conjunction with state initiatives aimed at expediting major redevelopment projects like BDD Chawl, Motilal Nagar, and Kamathipura, while ensuring accountability in public spending through uniform project tracking in the Urban Development Department (UDD).
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