Mumbai civic polls | Opposition chorus: Injustice, bias… why should our wards pay the price?

Road maintenance, drainage upgrade, toilet repair, waste collection points, and benches for senior citizens. These are just some of the civic amenities for which their requests for funds were ignored by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), according to Opposition legislators and parliamentarians.

The Indian Express spoke to nine Opposition MLAs, MLCs and MPs from across Mumbai who said in one voice that their proposals were stalled despite repeated reminders, visits to ward offices, and direct appeals to the ruling Mahayuti alliance’s Guardian Ministers who are authorised to release the funds.

Sunil Prabhu, MLA, Shiv Sena (UBT), Dindoshi

“I have been following up for nearly two-and-a-half years on work that includes drain repairs, resurfacing of internal roads and fixing old public toilet blocks. Not one proposal has been approved. We were  told to join the ruling party to get funds. Residents in my constituency ask how other areas are getting new roads or upgraded toilets. What answer do we give?”

Sunil Raut, MLA, Shiv Sena (UBT), Bhandup West

“Parts of Bhandup and Vikhroli are landslide-prone where boundary walls and slope-protection work cannot be delayed. During the monsoon, residents send me photos and videos of mud slipping from slopes. Not a single rupee was sanctioned. We are talking about basic amenities like boundary walls, toilets, and small roads. The people feel deprived.”

Mahesh Sawant, MLA, Shiv Sena (UBT), Mahim

“After being elected in 2024, I submitted several proposals for improving public toilets, cleaning nullahs, fixing broken footpaths, resurfacing small lanes, and creating benches and small open spaces for senior citizens. Not a paisa was given. There should be an audit of work done under the 2023 policy (granting MLAs and MPs the right to seek civic funds).”

Abu Asim Azmi, MLA, SP, Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd

“The internal roads in my constituency (one of Mumbai’s largest slum belts) have become almost unusable. I showed their condition to the Guardian Ministers and even to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. I told them there is no funding. There is rampant bias. All the ruling party MLAs are getting funds but we are not.”

Jyoti Gaikwad, MLA, Congress, Dharavi

“I wrote at least six letters seeking funds since last December, all were ignored. Not one lof them was even acknowledged. Dharavi needs urgent repairs to toilets, waste collection points and internal lanes, some of which have not seen upgrades in years. People are living in dense clusters where basic civic work is a must and not optional.”

Sunil Shinde, MLC, Shiv Sena (UBT), Worli

“I have been proposing some work or the other every year but have not got any funds from the BMC. Now, we have stopped expecting any funds from the BMC for work to be done in our constituency.”

Sachin Ahir, MLC, Shiv Sena (UBT), Worli

Worli is growing fast but essential work is pending: drain repairs, boundary walls for housing societies, cleaning of garbage points, beautification patches, and toilets. Officials say the Guardian Minister has to approve but the minister never responds because we are from the Opposition. It is an injustice to people living in my ward.”

Sanjay Dina Patil, MP, Shiv Sena (UBT), North East Mumbai

“I had proposed some work during my tenure as MP over the past few months but, like other elected representatives from the Opposition, I have not been allotted any funds. When I inquired about approval for my proposals, the answer was someone would get back, but no one got back to us.”

Varsha Gaikwad, MP, Congress, North Central Mumbai

As an MP, I have repeatedly sought civic funds for public works but not a single rupee was given in the past three years. MPs from the ruling alliance received crores before the Lok Sabha polls, but the files did not even move for the Opposition.”