From Slums To High-Rises, Mumbai’s L Ward Grapples With Neglect Ahead Of BMC Elections

As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections come closer, all eyes are on L Ward. Spanning Kurla, Sakinaka, and parts of Chandivali, L Ward is often described as a "microcosm of Mumbai’s extremes." From the dense, narrow alleys of Jari Mari to the glitzy high-rises of Chandivali, the ward is currently the epicenter of a fierce political tug-of-war and a mounting civic crisis.

Underserved Civic Landscape
The L ward remains one of Mumbai's most underserved areas, where infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with a population exceeding nine lakh. The ward struggles with the ‘super slum’ dilemma with around 60% of the population living in informal settlements. While the areas like Jari Mari, Bail Bazaar and Saki Naka consistently struggle with irregular water supply and increasing garbage dumping, the residents of Chandivali’s high-rises struggle with patch roads and increasing air pollution.

Freebies Versus Governance
Residents are increasingly vocal about systemic failures that have turned the ward into a civic hotspot. However, it is infamous for the distribution of freebies by the administrative ward. Over the past two years, the local legislator and the BMC has distributed crores worth of freebies, including pressure cookers, sarees and juicer mixers among other items. The residents have alleged that the distribution strategically happens before elections to lure voters from the lower financial class, making the actual civic issues irrelevant.

Campaign Controversy Erupts
Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate for ward no. 157, Asha Tayde, sparked a political row after a video of an “inappropriate dance” performance at her campaigning event went viral on the social media. Tayde is the wife of former corporator Ishwar Tayde, who recently joined the BJP from Shiv Sena, which he had joined after resigning from Shiv Sena (UBT) before the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections. Along with politicians from opposing parties, the residents of the locality also condemned the act, saying that “Chandivali demands solutions and not item songs.”

Citizens Charter Demands
The Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA) released a 24-point citizens charter, demanding the completion of the 90ft DP Road, a decisive crackdown on illegal bhattis, and a public digital dashboard to track every rupee of taxpayers’ money. The citizens have expressed resentment against the candidates saying that while they fight for a better Chandivali, the candidates have turned democracy into a mockery by hosting dance performances.

Voices Against Political Branding
Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of CCWA, said, “For too long, residents have paid high taxes only to receive broken promises and a governance model reduced to photo-ops. We don’t want politicians’ faces on public amenities; we want an anti-defacement pledge that stops the hijacking of our streets by illegal hoardings. We demand a shift from political branding to public service because a vote is a mandate for work, not an invitation to a circus.”

Transport Infrastructure Woes
Chandivali, which lacks mass transportation modes like suburban railway and metro, has been facing acute infrastructure bottlenecks. The BMC’s failure to construct the 90ft DP road between JVLR and Chandivali Farm Road has left the region in a perpetual traffic gridlock. “We have staged protests demanding the implementation of the DP road, twice celebrated the yearly anniversaries of the road’s approval and still we struggle with the daily traffic congestion in Chandivalli,” said Nilesh Wakode, a resident of L ward.

Heat And Pollution Crisis
According to a recent study, the L ward stood out as one of Mumbai's hottest zones. The heat island effect is exacerbated by tin-roofed shanties and a lack of green cover, with temperatures in the dense Kurla pockets feeling several degrees higher than the city average. On the other hand, the illegal bhattis on Khairani Road continue to emit smoke, further polluting the locality’s air and worsening the AQI.

Residents Cite Health Risks
Anil Sonkar, a resident of Synchronicity CHS, said, “The BMC and the MPCB have been inefficient in curbing the air pollution from the illegal bhattis. Even after the matter went to the National Green Tribunal, the ground reality remains the same and we are forced to inhale the toxic gases from the bhattis, running illegally in our neighbourhood.”

Voters’ Defining Choice
As the polling day nears, the question remains whether the voters of L Ward will choose based on traditional party loyalties, or will the basic need for sanitation and water finally dictate the winner?

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