Mumbai: With only 11 days remaining for the 2026 BMC elections, which are being held after a decade, the decks are all cleared for full-fledged campaigns to begin. The final list by the election department clarified that a total of 1700 candidates are in the electoral fray for 227 seats in the BMC, which has been running under administrative rule for the last four years. However, as the politicians fighting for power battle for the richest municipal body in the country, citizens need action and accountability. Many citizen activists have become the voice of Mumbaikars.
In this background, The Free Press Journal hosted a town hall at its Nariman Point office on Friday, January 2, where a diverse assembly of activists, civic leaders and residents gathered to address a singular, pressing question: “How to Make Mumbai a Better Place?” From the hawker mafia, parking menace to mangrove cutting and extensive road works to diminishing footpaths, several issues were discussed.
The representations included members from the residents' associations of Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Nepean Sea Road, Lokhandwala Oshiwara, Govandi, and more than 15 civic and environment activists from areas like Dadar, Matunga, Bandra and Kurla. The event painted a stark picture of a city struggling with systemic corruption, crumbling infrastructure, encroachments, environmental issues and animal rights, among many others.
“We should fight wards solutions instead of complaining,” remarked RTI activist Anil Galgali. While activist Kamlakar Shenoy noted, “Apart from politicians, the bureaucrats (IAS, IPS officers) should be equally questioned and held accountable for lack of display of duty and ignorance towards implementing basic civic rules.”
“While there are several debatable issues, Mumbai will have a constitutional body after four years and to hold the public representatives accountable, citizens should exercise their right to vote, stressed activist and advocate Trivenikumar Karnani.”
SOBO has lost its charm:
Pervez Cooper from the Clean and Heritage Colaba Residents Association (CHCRA) said, “We have been fighting the menace of illegal hawkers at the Colaba causeway, starting from Café Mondegar to Bhanjan Mandir, there is hardly any space left to walk, thanks to the politicians who have ruined the area completely. Over the years, from 79 hawkers, it has gone to 285. We fought the battle in the court as regards to the hawkers and the jetty, which will come at Apollo Bunder, which will be an added nuisance.”
“With the new corporators coming, we don’t know where this city is headed and what is in store for the next generation. After all, politicians are friends after 8 pm, let it be any party. Today, they say they have ‘beautified Colaba’, but the reality is that they have deteriorated. What Colaba was 30 years ago is no longer the same. From school children to senior citizens, people walk on the roads now,” Cooper added.
“Apart from traffic menace, the illegal reclamation of the sea is on the rise and the authorities turn a blind eye”, said Dr Laura D’souza, president of Cuffe Parade Residents Association, and an independent candidate from ward 225. “The loads of trucks come with debris at midnight and dump it in the sea. There are 33 acres of mangroves behind the World Trade Centre, which have been destroyed. Despite writing to Minister Nitesh Rane, BMC, Coastal police etc, there is no action taken,” D’souza said.
Notably, the A ward of the BMC, which covers the areas of Colaba, Nariman Point, Cuffe Parade, and Fort, instead of being an ideal ward, has not had a full-time assistant municipal commissioner for the last couple of years. It is run by an executive engineer.
Animals deserve equal Rights
Sanket Bhatt, from president Yuva Sena Aminal Welfare Force- a division of Shinde Sena said, “For the development of a harmonised and balanced society, animal rights should be equally considered along with humans. There is a need for citizens to step in and know the ground reality. We need to start from the basics, like making an official database on animals, animal feeders, in a way to work for their welfare.”
Sneha Visaria, petitioner in the Bombay High Court against the BMC’s decision to shut all kabutarkhanas, and an independent candidate from ward 225 said, “The propaganda of respiratory illnesses due to pigeons has started just ahead of the elections. The politicians have vested interests, as all kabutarkhanas are at prime locations. Humans are crueller than animals.”
Unending Road works and Poor Living Standards
“Andheri will soon shoot to the highest tax-paying ward in Mumbai; however, despite it, the living conditions are not on par. Apart from extensive road works, there have been some bridge projects going on for a decade. Some roads and traffic junctions are developed unnecessarily, potentially to feed the contractors’ pockets, while a crucial bridge like the Gokhale Bridge took years of activism to complete. It was first completed with connectors having with 2-meter gap- showing the seriousness and quality of work by the engineers and contractors in this city,” said Dhaval Shah, founder of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association. While the Yari Road mud bridge has been under making for three decades, multiplying the project cost.
Shaikh Faiyaz Alam from Govandi Citizens Welfare Forum said, “The M-East ward has the lowest human development index. We fought in court to transfer the biomedical waste plant, but the existence of the Deonar dumping ground generates the highest pollution levels in the area. Govandi is the most neglected area of Mumbai, and no authority works genuinely. In the upcoming BMC elections, we demand transparency from the corporators.
Collective Pressure from the citizens
“Mumbai lacks collective pressure from citizens towards public representatives, the officers and politicians. We need a ‘Meet Your Candidate’ system back in place,” said Petition Group member, Dr Gaurang Vora.
Mario Fishery from Mumbai Citizens Forum said, “Accountability must be driven by data. We urge citizens to register BMC complaints on 1960 and police complaints on 100, as these generate official data that helps the government understand city issues and make informed decisions. Only after logging a complaint should citizens approach their corporators or MLAs. Most government apps are poorly designed and do not work effectively—apps like MTP and MyBMC urgently need fixes, as they lack accountability, do not name responsible officers, and often mark issues as resolved without action. There is an urgent need for greater awareness, stronger local participation through Area Sabhas and ALMs, and a clear shift from promises to real accountability and action.”
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
