High-revenue K-East ward grapples with water cuts, traffic jams, dust pollution, hawkers’ encroachment and subway flooding

Situated among Mumbai International Airport’s glitz, industries in MIDC, SEEPZ in Marol, heritage caves in Mahakali and Jogeshwari and flood-prone Andheri and Milan subways in its bounds, K-East, one of the BMC’s largest civic administrative wards, hosts a multicultural, multi-religious, multilingual population of nearly 8.5 lakh.

It depicts city’s diverse demographics with mix population of Marathi, Gujarati and Hindi speaking people and also those belonging to Muslim, Christian and Dalit communities.

This high-revenue ward which has contributed Rs 526.64 crore property tax in Financial Year 2024-25, second after G-North ward, covers eastern parts of Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari across 15 electoral wards.

However, it remains a paradox of neglect, grappling with traffic jams, pothole-filled roads, encroachments by hawkers, road-dust pollution, water cuts, garbage heaps among other issues.

Of these 15 wards, 11 are reserved for women candidates for upcoming polls with three of them for women from OBC and 8 for women belonging to general category.

Though dominated by Shiv Sena in earlier elections, the K-East ward in 2017 BMC polls saw the BJP and undivided Shiv Sena getting 5 seats each, while Congress had 4 corporators.

With elected body of councillors to be formed in next month, the residents of K-East ward hope their concerns and demands will finally receive the urgent attention and action they deserve.(Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

The K-East ward, with nearly 8.5 lakh population, is surrounded by Mithi river on east, Western Railway Line on West, south up to Milan Subway and north up to SRPF Aarey colony and consists of 57 major and 48 minor roads and 22.1 kilometres of open and 15.6 kilometres of closed drains. As per BMC website, nearly 550 metric tonnes garbage is generated every day.

While deliberations were made to carve out new K-North ward consisting of Marol, SEEPZ and Jogeshwari (East) area by splitting K-East ward into two for administrative convenience, the same is not finalised yet.

Water shortage in several areas in Andheri (East) and frequent low-pressure supply has increased dependency on tankers in the area.

Moreover, hawkers plying on footpaths on Andheri-Kurla Road, MIDC and SEEPZ area and traffic congestion and double parking and continuous digging of footpaths are causing difficulties for residents and commuters. Lack of frequency of BEST buses in the area having several commercial and residential premises has also added to plight of commuters.

Sadanand Waman Parab, former Shiv Sena councillor from ward number 79, said major issue in his area is of traffic congestion and dust on Jijamata Road.

“We have made demands for 3 development plan (DP) roads which will ease the congestion. Also, there are 6,000-7, 000 hutments on private lands which can come under cluster development. Though it is not under BMC purview, but their cluster redevelopment can also aid in removing congestion in the area,” Parab said. His wife Sayali has filed nomination with seat being reserved for women candidates.

When asked why some of the former corporators have moved to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Parab said that for over 3 years there was no elected body in BMC and development funds were given through MLAs and Urban Development and MHADA. “People in our constituency want development, so it is obvious that we are in Shinde Sena,” he added.

As per BMC website, nearly 550 metric tonnes garbage is generated every day. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

Jyoti Alavani, former BJP corporator from Vile Parle (East) ward number 85 said her two terms saw concretisation of most of the roads along with widening of storm water drains and works for covering of nullahs. She said that several housing societies also began segregation of dry and wet waste, which helps in solid waste management.

Winnifred Baptist D’Souza of Congress, who was three-time corporator from ward number 83 said there is no single playground for children, especially those from slum area and they are not allowed to play at grounds inside airport or P & T colonies.

“Where will the children from slum area play? There is also a lack of health centres in the area. There were hardly any funds in past 4 years during Administrator’s rule and the situation in our area is in critical condition,” D’Souza said, awaiting scrutinisation of her daughter Sharon Melicia D’souza’s nomination papers for upcoming polls.

No permanent fixture for flooding at Andheri Subway in the area in recent monsoon season has become nightmare for the residents and the commuters. Each year, the subway, which is located at 1 kilometre from Andheri station, gets submerged even after a short downpour. However, the civic authorities are yet to implement a permanent solution for the issue.