Ministers bunk work to celebrate the New Year

After hectic lobbying and a victory in the assembly polls, it’s vacation time for the Democratic Front ministers in the state. Most ministers flew out of the city to ring in the New Year with their families back in their hometowns. The corridors of power in Mantralaya wore a deserted look on Thursday as attendance dipped to just 47.27%. The average attendance, of the total 7,747 employees in Mantralaya, is around 75% on other days.

The ministers, however, were replaced with a dozen commandos of the Quick Response Team and two bulletproof vehicles that were stationed at the Mantralaya. The commandos have been asked to be on guard round-the-clock for the next couple of days.

“We are going to be on duty for the next two-three days. We will be stationed at Mantralaya, but in case of any emergency in the adjoining areas we will reach the spot in a matter of minutes,” one of the commandos on duty said.

With large crowds expected to gather at the Gateway of India and along the seafront at Nariman Point, security has been tightened.

“We have been cautioned by the Centre to scale up security at sensitive places in Mumbai,” an official from the home department said.

Chief minister Ashok Chavan, who wished Mumbaikars a happy 2010, has headed to South India to seek the blessings of his spiritual guru. Minister of state for housing Sachin Ahir has followed the head of government to South India. He is visiting temples there.  

Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, rural development minister Jayant Patil, industries minister Rajendra Darda, and revenue minister Narayan Rane are all on vacation with their families. While the whereabouts of Bhujbal and Patil are not known, Darda, who is on an official tour, is celebrating the new year in Dubai. Rane is in London.

A senior NCP minister said: “Usually, bureaucrats and ministers take time off for celebrations at this time of the year. But that does not mean we are shirking our duties. We are being appraised on developments throughout the day.”

Attendance in Mantralaya has been poor for the entire week. The attendance was just 56.27% and 53.70% on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Also, of the 38 ministers, less than 10 came to office in the past few days. Home minister RR Patil and school education minister Balasaheb Thorat were the only senior ministers to be seen at work.