Mumbai: With the BMC elections around the corner, H East Ward has emerged as one of Mumbai’s most complex and contrasting civic constituencies. Covering Bandra East, Khar East and parts of Santacruz East, the ward presents two sharply different faces of the city, on one side, the gleaming international business district of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and on the other, vast slum pockets grappling with long-standing civic neglect.
Often described as a ward of extremes, H East reflects both Mumbai’s economic might and its harsh urban realities. While BKC showcases the city’s global aspirations with world-class offices and diplomatic establishments, large sections of the ward continue to struggle with basic amenities. H East houses some of the country’s most prominent institutions and landmarks. BKC is home to the US and Norwegian consulates, visa centres, offices of India’s most powerful corporate houses and key government establishments.
The ward also features a luxury mall, major concert venues, the Mumbai Cricket Association ground, courts, MHADA offices, the Mumbai Suburban Collector’s office and the headquarters of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The residence of the late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray’s family, Matoshree, is located here, as is the residence of Union Minister Ramdas Athavale.
Residential areas like Kalanagar Colony, MIG Colony and government colonies house mainly middle and upper-middle-class families, while Vakola, Kherwadi, Behrampada and parts of Santacruz East are dominated by slums that make up nearly 60–70% of the ward’s population. Despite housing Mumbai’s premier business district, residents face persistent civic woes, including water cuts, drainage failures, garbage mismanagement, encroachments, broken roads and worsening traffic.
Law-And-Order Issues
Law-and-order issues persist in some dense slum pockets, while rampant construction has worsened air, dust and noise pollution. Water scarcity remains a major concern. Traffic congestion is perhaps the most critical issue in H East Ward. With only two major exit points from BKC to the Western Express Highway, Kalanagar junction and the Chetna College stretch, the business district routinely witnesses massive bottlenecks.
Adding to the problem, parts of BKC are located on land reclaimed after the Mithi River’s width was reduced. During the monsoon, the river frequently floods adjoining areas, disrupting traffic.
Residents Express Their Concerns
Siddharth Parde, a resident of MIG Colony and a member of the Mumbai Citizen Forum, Bandra East, said, “Due to rapid construction, pollution has increased sharply. Encroachments are rampant. Roads are constantly dug up, making it unsafe to even walk in areas like Kherwadi. Water supply is diverted to BKC, leaving residential areas facing chronic shortages”.
Sachin Sawant, a resident of a government colony in Bandra East, echoed similar concerns. “Newly concretised roads are broken again without explanation. Mosquito breeding has increased. With multiple BKC junctions, evening traffic congestion is unavoidable,” he said. Hemal Mehta, chairperson of the Santacruz East Residents Association, expressed deep frustration.
“Water shortages, encroachments, dug-up roads and unremoved debris are routine problems. Pipelines are repeatedly damaged, streetlights are missing due to road concretisation, electricity supply is frequently disrupted, and even a political party’s booth office has come up on footpaths,” she said.
Another resident, Surendra Yadav, said, “Roadwork is being done in patches, drainage cleaning has stopped, and water pressure remains low despite metered connections. During the monsoon, nearby slum areas get flooded”.
H East Ward falls within Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad’s parliamentary constituency and the Shiv Sena (UBT) assembly segment represented by Varun Sardesai. The ward comprises ten BMC wards (87 to 96). Shiv Sena has traditionally dominated Bandra East, but the party split has made the ward politically uncertain. The BJP has emerged as a strong challenger in recent BMC elections, while Congress trails and the MNS retains limited pockets of support.
With traffic congestion, environmental degradation and basic civic failures dominating public discourse, voters in H East are demanding focused governance and long-term solutions. This ward stands as a stark example of where global ambition and everyday survival collide.
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