Consisting of multi-religious and cultural population ranging from slum dwellers to film stars and affluent localities in Juhu, Versova and Lokhandwala areas, K-Wast administrative ward of the BMC having over 6.5 lakh voters, is spread across western parts of Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari.
The K-West ward, that contributed Rs 504 crore revenue as property tax in the financial Year 2024-25 to BMC, the fourth-highest in the city, has active participation of alert citizens’ bodies.
However, over the years it has seen decline in civic management with issues of garbage management, encroachment by hawkers, pollution due to road dust and construction works for infrastructure projects and residential redevelopment along with water shortage and public toilets related issues in slum areas.
A view of Mumbai’s Juhu beach. The K-West ward contributed Rs 504 crore revenue as property tax in the financial Year 2024-25 to BMC. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
Of the 13 electoral wards in K-West, six are reserved for women candidates with five of them for women from general category and one for women belonging to the OBC category.
The 2017 elections saw K-East ward dominated by BJP with seven corporators followed by four from undivided Shiv Sena and two belonging to Congress. The upcoming elections will show if the BJP, with its city chief Ameet Satam, an MLA from Andheri (West), continues its hold.
Haroon Khan, Shiv Sena(UBT) MLA for Versova, whose late wife Shahida Haroon Rashid Khan was corporator from ward number 64, said that areas under MLAs from opposite parties remained deprived of development funds from BMC in last three years, causing more difficulties for residents.
He also said that ward number 64 was mix of nearly 13,000 Marathi speaking persons, 16,000 Muslims, 8,000 North Indians and nearly 6,500 Christians and Sena UBT has “support from all of them”.
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His daughter Sabah Haroon Khan will contest from ward number 64 for upcoming polls.
Rajul Suresh Patel, former Shiv Sena Corporator from ward 61, said that waste management is a bigger issue and several dustbins are removed from the area leading to garbage heaps.
“Several construction works are going on and e-sweeper vehicle which was deployed for deep-cleaning of dust from roads was non-functional and road-washing has also stopped, leading to roadside dust pollution in the area,” the former copoprator said.
A view of Mumbai’s Andheri West. The residents from K-West said they were aggrieved by garbage heaps in the K-East ward among other problems.
(Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
Patel said that several people from Anand Nagar, BMC Colony, Azad Nagar, Shakti Nagar areas are getting water supply only between 2:30 pm to 4 30 pm in the afternoon. There is a plan for water pipeline to laid down from Infiniti mall to lessen the hardships,” she said.
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Former Congress corporator Mehar Mohsin Haider, who will again challenge BJP from ward number 66, along with her son Sufiyan contesting from Ward number 65, said their areas face major issue due to cluster development, as several lands are being cleared with the help of developers.
“Several residents got false promise of assured houses and instead are under the fear of being ousted outside Mumbai. There is water scarcity in some areas and people have to rely on tankers, which they are deprived of several times as they are diverted to big housing societies. ”
“The public toilets are in worse condition and in last few years, during Administrator’s rule, the proportion of open defecation has increased, contrary to claims of its eradication from Mumbai.. The area has one of the biggest slums after Dharavi and the situation has worsened,” Haider added.
Sudha Shabhunath Singh of BJP, who will now contest from ward number 69 said, ” We resolved water flooding issue near Bhavans college area and with rejuvenation of nullah. There are issues related to illegal parking, garbage dumping, especially in Nehru Nagar area. With elected body in place in a few days, there will be a check on administration.”
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Singh claimed BJP will get several seats in the ward due to consistent works, including creation of several gardens through MLA Satam, among others.
The residents from K-West said they were aggrieved by garbage heaps in the K-East ward among other problems.
Karan Jotwani, co-founder of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA), highlighted unauthorised garbage dumping on the Lokhandwala backroad and also near Heera Panna Mall along with area below Oshiwara metro station and said they have become “perpetual dumping sites”.
Jotwani also highlighted “illegal hawkers’ menace” on footpaths in Oshiwara and Lokhandwala backroad area and raised concerns over trucks with unwashed tyres carrying building material and debris from redevelopment sites near Millat Nagar and Green Park society.
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He, however, added that reconstruction of Andheri East-West Gokhale bridge after public uproar eased commuter woes and lessened burden on other bridges.
“We hope other issues get resolved with public awareness and checks through elected body,” Jotwani said.
A view of Mumbai’s Juhu beach. The K-West ward contributed Rs 504 crore revenue as property tax in the financial Year 2024-25 to BMC. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
A view of 
