Mumbai, July 4 -- Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) swiftly suspended officials following the death of an 11-year-old boy in a tree-fall incident in Chembur, its disciplinary mechanism remains burdened by a massive backlog, with 537 departmental inquiries involving 1,523 employees still pending, official records obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act show. The figures emerged through an RTI application filed by activist Jeetendra Ghadge of The Young Whistle Blowers Foundation. Ghadge had sought details of pending departmental inquiries in 2021, but the BMC initially denied the request. In 2025, the Maharashtra State Information Commission directed the civic body to disclose the records, following which it released data updated till April 30, 2026. The report shows that 537 departmental inquiries remain unresolved, including 475 regular inquiries and 62 summary inquiries, involving 1,523 officers and employees across departments. Of the 537 pending inquiries, 182 are less than a month old and 98 have been pending for two to six months. However, nearly half-257 cases-have remained unresolved for over six months. Despite the backlog, the BMC disposed of only 15 inquiries in April 2026. The report also revealed that 189 inquiries are pending with inquiry officers themselves, while 103 cases remain dormant. Another 85 cases are awaiting inquiry by officers from other civic departments, 75 are pending at the action stage after the inquiry process, and 32 cases remain unresolved even after the inquiry has been completed. Separately, 234 employees are currently suspended, including 150 in connection with criminal cases and 84 linked to bribery or corruption investigations. The pending inquiries span almost every level of the civic administration. Among engineering staff, 283 sub-engineers, 147 assistant engineers, 61 executive engineers and 50 junior engineers are facing inquiries. The report also lists large numbers of clerical staff, supervisors, medical personnel and more than 250 Class IV employees under investigation. The data also highlights a striking disparity in accountability at different levels of the civic administration. While hundreds of junior engineers and subordinate staff are facing disciplinary action, no deputy municipal commissioner is currently facing a departmental inquiry. Only one ward officer and two chief engineers figure in the pending inquiry list, despite senior officials being responsible for supervising ward administration and civic infrastructure. Commenting on the findings, Ghadge alleged that the inquiry process was deliberately prolonged. "The inquiry office itself should face an inquiry for its incompetence. Although the report shows pendency beyond six months, many inquiries actually remain pending for years until officers retire. In most cases, officials receive minor penalties or are given a clean chit. Despite orders from the State Information Commission, the BMC has also refused to disclose how many officials have actually been dismissed from service," he said. HT reached out to officials from the BMC's vigilance department, but they were unavailable for comment....