MUMBAI, July 22 -- South Mumbai's affluent A Ward is once again under scrutiny over serious allegations of financial fraud and faking works in a slum improvement project funded by the Brihanmumbi Municipal Corporation (BMC). The controversy centres around claims of purchase orders issued in some places but due to alleged misappropriation of funds meant for slum improvement, no works were done in many locations, particularly in the Ambedkar Nagar slum located in Cuffe Parade, now comprising over 7,000 tenements. Under the BMC's beautification and slum improvement programme, purchase orders totalling Rs.11.58 crore were issued between 2023 and 2025 in Ambedkar Nagar alone. Additional expenditure included Rs.4 crore for Geeta Nagar starting February 2024 and Rs.8 crore for Ganesh Murti Nagar, also within the same timeframe. However, on-site visits revealed a stark mismatch between official records and ground realities, with many of the claimed projects either incomplete or entirely absent. An inspection by Hindustan Times revealed troubling inconsistencies. At gully number 20 in Ambedkar Nagar, the BMC claimed to have spent Rs.27.92 lakh on repairing a ten-seater toilet block. However, the lane is so narrow that it only accommodates two small rooms with no sign of the toilet block in question. Residents confirmed that the only ten-seater toilet block in the vicinity was located at the entry point of the slum and had been repaired prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Further inconsistencies were discovered in gully number 19 near Hanuman Mandir and gully 19A near Saibaba Mandir. Despite the BMC's claims of having spent Rs.8.57 lakh and Rs.13 lakh respectively on pathway and drainage improvements in the last one year, no such work was visible. Local residents said that no maintenance or development had been carried out in those areas for at least three years. Documents reviewed by HT indicate that Pawan Kawre, an assistant engineer (maintenance), had approved the controversial purchase orders. Kawre is currently suspended, facing multiple allegations of misconduct, including irregularities related to municipal pay-and-park contracts as reported by HT on May 20. Last week, Jaydeep More, assistant commissioner (in-charge) of A Ward, issued a show-cause notice to Kawre and another official over other discrepancies in the ward. Residents of Ambedkar Nagar have expressed outrage over the situation. "This is fooling the people in the slums," said local resident Pratap R. "There has been no change in our living conditions, no new and improved pathways or drainage works." Added Ajay Salve, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar gully no 22, "After some works six or seven years ago, nothing else has been done in this ward. Our drainage lines are broken, the tiles are broken. Gully no 19/20 have no toilet at all for seats to be repaired. We have one toilet in the main corner and in front at the gate. This is blatant corruption in the name of slum improvement." The issue came to light following a complaint by whistleblower Santosh Daundkar, whose tip-off led to a vigilance inquiry. Based on his complaint, a show-cause notice was issued to Jaydeep More on July 5 by additional municipal commissioner (city) Ashwini Joshi. Daundkar alleged that BMC officials had repeatedly reissued identical tenders for the same tasks, suggesting a deliberate effort to defraud the system He accused the lower-level civic officials of colluding with contractors and possibly political figures to siphon off funds, urged CM Devendra Fadnavis to initiate a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and demanded the immediate filing of an FIR....