Hate him or love him, Tukaram Mundhe is probably the most talked about government officer in Mumbai as of today. From shining a light on dirty kitchens and missing licences at the biggest clubs and restaurants in the city, to ensuring that our paneer is not adulterated, he was won over citizens with his swift action. But this is not the first time he has been in the spotlight.

A decade ago, Mundhe was the Navi Mumbai civic commissioner, a position he held for less than a year, between 2016 and 2017. All through which the bulldozer was considered his best friend. The only criticism he faced at the time was when his demolition drive included the poor labourers, factory and domestic workers who had built huts in the Airoli, Mhape, and Turbhe industrial belt. Then again, there were, and still are, some who felt that this was the need of the hour as there were “just too many shanties”. The tendency to shoot first and ask questions later earned Mundhe the moniker “demolition man” as he razed through illegal extensions.