Senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, no stranger to controversy in Nagpur, faced a fresh embarrassment on Sunday when the air-conditioning failed at Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall during a scholarship distribution and career-guidance programme organised by the Smritishesh Madhukarrao Tamgadge Trust.
Mundhe attended as a career guide, his first public appearance in the city in years.Attendees and dignitaries were left sweltering as Vidarbha’s humidity persisted despite recent rains. With the event linked to Mundhe, some questioned whether the breakdown was a deliberate dig by the Public Works Department, which manages the hall.
The venue was renovated only months ago at a cost of lakhs of rupees, raising questions over why the AC failed despite regular use of the hall. PWD officials said repair work was underway, but the AC remained non-functional through the event.Mundhe’s history with Nagpur runs deep.
As municipal commissioner, he clashed with the ruling party over a budget dispute in 2020 — his proposed ₹2,500 crore budget was roughly ₹600 crore lower than the Standing Committee’s ₹3,100 crore version — leading to a public showdown at Suresh Bhat Auditorium and his eventual transfer. A related complaint filed by then-mayor Sandeep Joshi, from his tenure as Smart City CEO, ended with Mundhe getting a clean chit last December.