Mumbai: Residents of the M (East) municipal ward have released their "Citizens' Charter and People's Manifesto," drawing attention to unsafe traffic conditions that have caused pedestrian deaths, inadequate sanitation services, and crowded public health facilities in a ward that has some of the worst human development statistics in the city.
Ward Covers Marginalised Neighbourhoods With Minority and SC Population
The ward covers Govandi, Shivaji Nagar, Baiganwadi, Kamla Raman Nagar, Dumping Road, Anushakti Nagar, and Cheeta Camp, with a majority of the residents belonging to religious minorities and Scheduled Caste groups.
A study by the Praja Foundation estimated that 77% of residents lived in slums and other informal housing in 2018. Furthermore, a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) stated that malnutrition levels among children in the area were comparable to those in Sub-Saharan countries.
Govandi Residents Welfare Forum Seeks Written Commitments From Candidates
The Govandi Residents Welfare Forum, in their manifesto, has highlighted these issues and asked contesting candidates to sign a commitment to:
* Implement all listed BMC-jurisdictional issues.
* Maintain corruption-free governance.
* Ensure transparency and accountability.
Apart from better roads and the creation of pedestrian zones accessible to children, the elderly, and the differently-abled, residents listed several critical grievances:
* Irregular and unequal water supply with low pressure and illegal connections.
* Overflowing sewage drains.
* Slum redevelopment and housing projects.
* Digital governance and transparency through the live telecasting of municipal meetings.
Water Supply, Sewage and Housing Among Key Civic Concerns
The manifesto also notes the poor condition of public health services, overcrowding at clinics and hospitals, and severe air pollution from the Deonar dump and nearby cement plants. Other concerns include high school dropout rates, street safety, footpath encroachments, and the poor connectivity between the southern and northern areas of the ward, which are currently divided by a railway line.
Finally, residents drew attention to noise pollution, a lack of green spaces, and ineffective complaint portals. They called for better support for senior citizens, women, children, the disabled, and the transgender community, while pointing out that low CCTV coverage remains a major deterrent to public safety.
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