MUMBAI, March 24 -- Three BJP corporators staged a protest on Monday outside an aspirational toilet being built by the BMC outside the Oval Maidan, opposite the Bombay High Court. The corporators are demanding action against the contractor and civic officials for allegedly violating a state government order, which halted the construction of these toilets across the island city after irregularities in their construction emerged. Aspirational toilets are high-end restrooms that use smart technology to provide a hygienic experience. They could also include facilities such as showers, changing rooms, etc. Monday's protest, by corporators Makarand Narwekar, Harshita Narwekar and Dr Gauravi Shivalkar, follows a recent letter to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, in which they pointed to the government's stay on the toilets. "In July 2025, elected representatives including Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam raised concerns about irregularities in the construction of aspirational toilets not only in A Ward but across the island city. Industries Minister Uday Samant had announced on the floor of the house that their construction would be stayed pending an inquiry to be completed within 30 days," said Makarand Narwekar. "If there are no irregularities, why has the BMC administration not released the inquiry report? If the inquiry is pending, how is construction being allowed to continue? An FIR should be registered against the contractor and BMC officials for violating the state government's order," he said. The corporators have raised various concerns, including construction near heritage structures, costs ranging from Rs.1.65 crore to Rs.1.73 crore per unit, alleged violations of pedestrian policy, encroachment on footpaths contrary to Supreme Court guidelines, and possible breaches of UNESCO heritage buffer zone norms. They also allege that four trees, believed to be around 150 years old, were illegally cut near the University of Mumbai to facilitate the toilet's construction. "There is no permission for tree cutting and the BMC is carrying out illegal work," said Harshita Narwekar. Assistant commissioner of A Ward, Jaydeep More, denies that trees have been cut and clarified that A Ward was not executing the project. "No trees have been hacked; they have only been trimmed. The construction work is being carried out by the slum sanitation department of the BMC, not by the ward," More said. Additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi said the project follows official directives and the Lokayukta's order. "The government provides funds for aspirational toilets. The BMC is implementing the project in line with the stipulated norms," she said....