Tucked between Mumbai’s affluent western suburbs and the fast-expanding Bandra Kurla Complex, the H East ward presents a study in sharp contrasts. While parts of Bandra East and Santacruz East have seen a surge of high-rise developments and office complexes, much of the ward remains defined by sprawling slum clusters such as Golibar, Vakola, Behrambaug and Kherwadi, alongside older Marathi neighbourhoods that once shaped the city’s cultural life.
Home to the Thackeray family residence, Matoshree, the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections on January 15 are being closely watched as a test of political loyalties in the H East ward. In the 2017 civic polls, seven of the ward’s ten seats were won by the Shiv Sena, and all but one of those corporators have remained with the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. While several familiar faces are expected to return to the fray, new entrants could still alter the political equation. The ward’s leaning towards the Shiv Sena UBT was also evident in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, where UBT candidate Varun Sardesai defeated the NCP’s Zeeshan Siddiqui.
“We are deeply attached to the party,” said Rohini Kamble, a former corporator from the ward who is preparing to contest again. Explaining why most former corporators have stayed with the UBT, winning vote margins from 2017 show the MNS securing a substantial share of votes, an UBT-MNS understanding would work to their advantage. “The residents of this ward have faith in us to come to their rescue, as has been the case for decades, since Balasaheb’s time.”
At the same time, nearly 60 per cent of the ward comprises slum pockets that continue to grapple with basic civic problems such as overflowing sewer lines, garbage accumulation and irregular water supply. Kalina, because of its location at the tail end of the water distribution network, faces chronic low-pressure water supply. Residents also point to the steady spread of illegal structures in and around slum areas.
“Ours is a neglected ward,” said Melvin Fernandes, a senior member of the ALM Voice of Kalina. “The roads and footpaths are all ridden with hawkers and illegal encroachments: we have no breathing space left. Our gardens are poorly maintained. Residents have gotten no water supply for 17 days at a stretch.”
Similar concerns were raised by former Congress corporator Brian Miranda, who plans to contest from ward 91. His wife, who represented ward 90 in 2017, is also expected to enter the race. Water shortages, hawkers, garbage piles and traffic, Miranda said, remain persistent issues. “Kalina comes at the fag end of the water pipeline distribution, which causes a lot of water issues particularly that of low pressure,” Miranda said, adding that air pollution from ongoing projects such as the bullet train, Metro Line 2B and work near the Bombay High Court has emerged as a fresh concern.
Across the ward, there is a visible undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the BMC, the local ward office and even former corporators. Fernandes alleged that corporators had done little for ward 90, pointing out that minutes of a public grievance meeting held over four months ago were still pending. “Despite our constant complaints, little action is taken. Citizens are thus dissuaded from speaking up.”
Miranda echoed the sentiment, stressing the need for citizens’ voices to be heard by the civic administration, a concern also raised by members of the Santacruz East Residents Association.
George Abraham, former three time corporator, who is contesting as an Independent, said that while Kalina suffers from water cuts and low-water pressure, sewage management remains a big issue.“ Choked stormwater drains plague the area, which in turn leads to roads being easily flooded and filled with sewage. Sewer lines are also not well connected in the area which sometimes leads to overflowing.” Saying that he was deeply committed to the people of the ward, he said, “For over two decades I have sincerely tried to represent the people of Kalina and Vakola, and hope to do the same this time.”
Dr Abhijeet Warade, a resident of a high-rise in Bandra East, flagged repeated road works in the area. “This among other things causes multiple traffic jams in our area everyday,” he said, adding that the floating population in BKC only adds to the congestion.
“The cementing of roads is being done in a messed up manner,” said Hemal Mehta, secretary of the Santacruz East Residents Association from the TPS 3 area, which has around 5,000 residents. Warning that voters could opt for NOTA if credible candidates are not fielded, Mehta said, “Very frequently, we are subjected to electricity and water cuts. There is miscommunication and absolute lack of coordination among the departments, and we citizens end up coordinating between departments ourselves. We gave up the set back area of our building, only to have the footpaths be encroached and become unusable for us. The corporators stop working after they win the elections, and the BMC ward office too is unresponsive.”