Seat watch | G/North ward: Awaiting Dharavi revamp, ward grapples with hawking, pigeon feeding woes

Owing to the presence of the crucial Dadar railway station which serves as the intersection for western and central railway lines, Dadar station as well as the localities around it are perpetually crowded.

What makes it further difficult to navigate through the lanes outside Dadar station is the presence of encroachments along the footpaths, hawkers trading in clothes and other wares on the streets as well as the presence of a buzzing flower and vegetable market beneath the flyover.

For pedestrians and commuters alike, the presence of encroachments along the crucial route not only eats into the already congested space but also leaves behind heaps of solid waste on the roads.

Lamenting on the hawkers crisis and traffic woes in the area, Chetan Kamble, a local resident and founder of Chakachak Dadar, “Along the Dadar station, when we one walks 500 metres along the Dadar station, there lies a fish market and the flower market which have become major traffic choke points in the area. Furthermore, since the closure of the Elphinstone bridge, the traffic load on Tilak bridge has also increased immensely.”

A short walk down the congested lanes outside the Dadar station lies the Dadar kabutarkhana, which became the hotbed of contention earlier this year.

For residents of the area, the pigeon feeding at Dadar kabutarkhana has become a source of respiratory issues amongst locals.

“Now while the feeding has stopped at the kabutarkhana, people have started feeding them on their terraces creating different feeding spots in the area, which is causing problems for residents. Even though pigeon feeding is banned, the administration has not been able to curb this problem,” added Kamble.

Further in the ward, dust pollution along the neighbourhoods of Shivaji Park has emerged as fresh woe ahead of the polls. With the red dust from the Shivaji park leaving the entire neighbourhood covered in a thin film of dust and giving rise to chronic respiratory problems in the area, residents have demanded the authorities to find solutions.

Meanwhile, in one of the world’s largest slum belts of Dharavi which straddles seven electoral wards of G/North, basic amenities like safe water and drainage systems continue to elude its residents.

Samya Korde, a Dharavi-born activist who is vying to contest elections from ward 187 of Dharavi under a Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI) ticket, said, “At present, clean drainage systems and sanitation are some of the biggest issues in the Dharavi belt which need to be addressed. Owing to unsafe water and clogging of drainage, malaria and dengue afflicts large number of residents. Furthermore, being dense slum pocket, theft from illegal connections water and electricity meters remain a big issue.”

In light of the rehabilitation project, there is also a lot of insecurity among Dharavi residents over their eligibility.

“Redevelopment has to happen but it should not scatter people from their homes. Residents of Dharavi should be made eligible and then development works should be undertaken,” echoed Samya.

The ward encompasses 11 electoral wards and an electorate of over 4.21 lakh voters, who are predominantly Maharashtrians.

Traditionally, the G/north ward has been the stronghold of the Shiv Sena and the MNS. However, defections from the MNS in 2017 and later a split in the Sena dealt a blow to the two party’s hegemony in the area.

Of the 11 wards that lie under G/North, seven wards are presently held by Sena (UBT) candidates while three lie under the sway of the Mahayuti with two seats held by Shinde led Shiv Sena candidates.

Meanwhile, one ward – 184 – is held by the Congress candidate Babbu Khan.