Mumbai: The BMC’s K-East ward – covering parts of Vile Parle, Jogeshwari and Andheri East – continues to grapple with persistent civic issues despite contributing one of the highest shares of property tax revenue to the civic body. Residents say that even though large parts of the ward lie just three to four kilometres from the airport, poor infrastructure and traffic congestion often mean travel times of over an hour on key approach roads.
Residents flag long-neglected infrastructure problems
Citizens point to inadequate and poorly maintained roads, frequent traffic snarls during peak hours, rampant illegal parking, unchecked development without corresponding upgrades to drainage systems, and water supply management as some of the long-standing problems that have remained unresolved. The situation has led many residents to question why basic civic issues have continued to be neglected for years despite the ward’s strategic importance and revenue contribution.
Ward profile, boundaries and political background
The K-East ward has a population of 9.23 lakh with a gross density of 343 persons per square kilometre. Geographically, it is bounded by the Mithi River on the east, the Western Railway on the west, Milan Subway to the south and extends northwards across dense residential and commercial zones. The ward elects 15 councillors and has traditionally been considered a stronghold of the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance, based on the last municipal elections held in 2017.
Murji Patel’s 2025 Assembly victory
In the 2025 Assembly elections, BJP–Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) legislator Murji Patel secured a decisive victory on a Shiv Sena ticket, defeating the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction-UBT) candidate by a large margin. Patel has said his party is aiming to win all seats in the ward, with candidates reaching out to households across constituencies. He has expressed confidence that his work record will translate into electoral success.
Kesharben Patel contests women-reserved ward
Meanwhile, Patel’s wife, Kesharben Patel, is contesting from ward number 81, reserved for women in the open category, against Shiv Sena candidate Mohini Dhamne. A two-time former corporator from different wards in K-East, Kesharben Patel has said she intends to focus on resolving long-pending civic issues if elected.
Crowded field of key contenders
Other candidates contesting election here are Pramod Sawant, Manisha Panchal, Sonal Sabe, Priyadarshini Thackeray, Mansi Juwatkar, Ekta Choudhary, Sneha Bhatkar from Sena UBT. While Mahayukti candidates are Pankaj Yadav (BJP), Disha Yadav among others.
Multi-party fight intensifies in ward
With candidates from the Mahayuti alliance comprising BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, as well as the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray, the K-East ward has emerged as a keenly contested battleground in the upcoming civic elections.
Citizen groups push accountability agenda
Residents and citizen groups say the elections come at a crucial time, as the city has been without corporators for the past few years. Vivek Pai, a transport expert and resident of Andheri East, said local citizens have prepared a 10-point agenda for candidates, calling for urgent attention to missing footpaths, incomplete Development Plan roads, illegal parking—especially in Andheri MIDC—poor street lighting, lack of public toilets, limited gardens and open spaces, uncovered drains, water scarcity, absence of authorised markets leading to street encroachments, and redevelopment challenges linked to funnel zone restrictions.
Role of corporators in daily governance
Pai said corporators play a vital role as intermediaries between citizens and the administration. “People have little direct access to ministers or legislators, but corporators are local representatives who are easily accessible. An efficient corporator is essential to resolve everyday civic problems,” he said.
Metro expansion raises connectivity concerns
He also highlighted transport concerns, noting that Andheri East is set to host four Metro lines, including the underground Metro 3 Aqua Line, while Metro Line 6 is under construction. “With multiple Metro corridors coming up, first- and last-mile connectivity has become a serious issue. We hope that after the BMC elections, these problems will finally be addressed,” Pai added.
Dream Marol initiative highlights civic failures
Suresh Nair, trustee of Nayi Umang Charitable Trust, a citizens’ welfare association, said chronic civic mismanagement has forced residents to step in through the “Dream Marol” initiative, which the trust has been running for the past two years to highlight and address local infrastructure issues.
Encroachments worsen pedestrian safety
Nair said footpaths in Marol, which are meant exclusively for pedestrians, are routinely encroached upon by hawkers, forcing people to walk on busy roads. He added that the existing road network is inadequate and further reduced by garages that spill onto public streets. “Illegal parking has become a permanent problem, leading to continuous congestion across the area,” he said.
Split ward representation complicates governance
Pointing to governance challenges, Nair noted that Marol falls under two municipal wards—75 and 86—which together form a single locality but are represented by two different corporators on either side of the road. “Despite having double representation, civic issues in Marol have remained neglected for a long time. This neglect is what prompted us to launch the Dream Marol activity, so that citizens themselves can push for solutions, now with the support of corporators,” he said.
Airport proximity yet crippling congestion
He further highlighted traffic issues in Andheri East, particularly given its proximity to Mumbai’s airport. “Several prominent areas in Andheri East are within a three-kilometre radius of the airport, yet it often takes over an hour to reach due to severe congestion,” Nair said.
Roadside parking adds to bottlenecks
According to him, a major contributor to the problem is indiscriminate roadside parking along the Andheri–Kurla Road. “Because parking charges at the airport are high, many drivers choose to park their vehicles on public roads, worsening traffic bottlenecks. Reducing parking fees at the airport could discourage roadside parking and significantly ease congestion,” he added.
Voters demand results beyond politics
As campaigning intensifies, residents across the K-East ward say their expectations are clear: improved civic infrastructure and accountability, regardless of which party comes to power.
Population: 9.23 lakh
Gross density: 343 persons per square kilometre.
15 corporators representing ward numbers from 72 to 85
Roads : 127 kms
K-East Ward: Key Civic Issues
- Severe traffic congestion on airport-bound roads despite 3–4 km proximity
- Missing and encroached footpaths, forcing pedestrians onto roads
- Incomplete Development Plan (DP) roads across several pockets
- Rampant illegal parking, especially in Andheri MIDC and arterial roads
- Poor road infrastructure leading to peak-hour traffic snarls
- Inadequate stormwater drainage, with no upgrades despite rapid development
- Water supply scarcity and management issues
- Lack of public toilets in residential and commercial areas
- Shortage of gardens and open spaces in densely populated localities
- Uncovered drains and safety hazards
- Unauthorised markets and hawkers causing street encroachments
- Redevelopment hurdles due to funnel zone restrictions
- First- and last-mile connectivity gaps amid expansion of Metro lines
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