Major traffic jams in Vakola, Kalina remain a key issue

Overview

H-East ward largely covers the eastern parts of Bandra, Santa Cruz, Khar and also encompasses the Mumbai Unversity campus (Vidyanagari) in Kalina, Bandra Terminus, Kherwadi, Kala Nagar and other areas like Anand Nagar, Vivekanada Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Dowri Colony (Khar Rifle Range), Jahawar Nagar and Nirmal Nagar.

Kalina and Vakola junctions, which are two of the city's chronic traffic trouble spots that see snarls on a daily basis, too fall under this ward. Some of the most populated slum settlements — Bharat Nagar and Behrampada — are also a part of this ward. Apart from this, Kalina is also adjoined by slums like Jamblipada and Kunchi Kurve Nagar.

Of the total population in H-East ward, 73 per cent reside in slums. Of the rest, a major chunk belongs to the higher-income group.

Kalina and Vakola are emerging as commercial hubs with real estate and private companies doing big business in these areas. The city's planned business district — Bandra-Kurla Complex — houses a number of commercial buildings, and the daily rush of people to this commercial centre causes heavy traffic jams on the roads approaching it. While developing BKC, the authorities should have expanded the approach roads first, the residents say.

A multiplicity of agencies such as MHADA, MMRDA, Airport Authority of India, Railways and SRA have a say in the affairs of the ward, making the administration of the ward a tricky task.

POLITICAL SCENARIO

In H-East ward, Shiv Sena has five corporators out of a total of 11 seats. Congress has three, while BJP and MNS have one corporator each. There is also an independent corporator. MNS made its foray into the ward in the last civic elections in 2012.

The ward falls in the Mumbai North Central parliamentary constituency, which is represented by Poonam Mahajan from the BJP. The Members of Legislative Assembly here are Sanjay Potnis and Trupti Sawant, both from Shiv Sena, and a smaller area is represented by BJP MLA Parag Alavani.

issues

The biggest issue for this ward is heavy traffic jams. The junctions of Kalina and Vakola reportedly witness high traffic every day. The Santa Cruz-Chembur link road has provided good connectivity in the between eastern and western suburbs, but it has added to the traffic woes in the ward.

Due to high slum population, lack of public toilets is another major issue in this ward. Because of this the areas witness open defecation. Open drains add to health hazards in the ward.

Redevelopment of Bharat Nagar, Behrampada, Kunchi Kurve Nagar and other slums is a complex issue as the slum pockets here fall under various authorities like MHADA, MMRDA, Airport Authority of India, Railways, and SRA, etc.

The ward faces water-logging issues every monsoon as it has some of the major water- logging areas in the city like the Milan subway, Vakola junction, Kalina etc.

Residents speak

Once you enter BKC the roads are wide and traffic movement is easy. But the roads approaching the BKC are a nightmare for the passersby. It is horrible to commute in those areas, specially during peak hours. The road from SCLR or Kalina has heavy traffic at any time of the day. Before developing the BKC, the authorities should have widened all the approach roads. The number of vehicles are increasing in the ward year after year as new commercial and residential complexes are coming up. On many roads, the paver blocks are uneven and the pavements are not maintained. Potholes on the roads add to residents' woes.
—Cynthia Fernandes, Activist

If you walk on the skyway from Bandra East railway station, you can see the slums and the garbage strewn all along. In some locations in Bharat Nagar, the drains are full of waste and there are flies over them. The slums are spread across a stretch of 3 to four kms from the station. The ward is very complex to administer as it has seven to eight authorities come into action.
—Aftab Siddhiqui, ALM member

The official word

Assistant Municipal Commissioner for H-East ward Prashant Gailwad said, "We try our best to maintain hygiene in the slums. We have also provided community toilets. Many slum pockets do not have sewer lines and it's difficult to lay them in small lanes. However, we have started the work of laying three sewer lines. Redevelopment is a huge challenge as many authorities come into action. In Bharat Nagar, the MHADA will decide the redevelopment plan. We take care of activities like garbage collection, sweeping, etc. Some slum pockets come under Railways while some under the Airport Authority. Regarding traffic issues, the Vakola stretch has already been widened. We have successfully worked to decrease water-logging issues."