Slum swing in glamour seat

The tweaking of constituency boundaries during delimitation has taken the slum voters’ percentage in Mumbai North-Central — home to many of the Bollywood’s glitterati— to higher than 70%. Kurla (Nehru Nagar) and Chandivli (Kurla) have been added to the already high-slum-density areas from Bandra to Vileparle.

Therefore,notwithstanding the power-packed list of voters,concerns pertaining to slum rehabilitation/redevelopment are top on every candidate’s agenda,be it the Congress’ promise of accommodating airport land slum dwellers within 3 km radius of their present homes,or the BSP candidate’s assurance of permanency for those living on railway,airport authority and central government land.

In the run-up polls,the residents of slums have taken their demands beyond the usual clean water and drains to housing. Mired in slum redevelopment projects that have made little difference to their lives,they are demanding relocation not very far from where they are staying,timely approvals for rehabilitation projects by the authorities,assured delivery by builders,and basic amenities in the reconstructed homes.

“A corporator has no role to play when it comes to slum redevelopment projects. An MLA or an MP can certainly use the powers they wield to help slum dwellers,” said Qasim Tamboli,a resident of Nehru Nagar,an area where at least six rehabilitation projects have been delayed indefinitely.

However,for those in the highrises,the two main issues are tighter security and better infrastructure. “When it comes to infrastructure,I want my elected representative to check the burgeoning slum population. The only way out is by not regularising any more slums. Also he or she has to ensure that pavements are free of hawkers or encroachments so that pedestrians can move freely,” said Bandra resident Anil Joseph.

He adds,“The six access roads that will lead to the Bandra Worli Sea Link are lined with encroachments. Unless the authorities clear them,the sea link will only turn Bandra into a traffic nightmare.”

Shyama Kulkarni from the H-West Citizens Federation added that another priority was the need for more funds for Mumbai and stepping up security in the suburbs. “What happened at Taj is of no relevance to us. Our constituency has borne the burnt of the serial train blasts in 2006. We want our candidates to promise better security,provide for emergency medical services outside all railway stations and upgrade the civic hospitals,” said Kulkarni.

Mumbai North-Central
* 16 lakh voters
* Predominately slum population speckled with upper middle pockets
* Who’s contesting: : Priya Dutt (Congress),Mahesh Jethmalani (BJP),Haji Ibrahim Bhaijan (BSP),Shilpa Sarpotdar (MNS) MP,his/her predecessor: In 2005,Priya Dutt won the by-polls held after the demise of her father and he then MP Sunil Dutt.
* Political history: A Congress stronghold with the senior Dutt holding the seat for five terms. Priya had won with huge margin of 1.71 lakh votes.
* Impact of delimitation: The assembly constituencies of Kurla SC (Nehru Nagar) and Chandivli (Kurla) have been added to the erstwhile constituencies of Bandra (E),Bandra (W),Kalina,and Vile Parle bringing with it a huge number of slum voters.
* Watch out for: The Congress doesn’t perceive the BJP candidate as a threat. Rather,former NCP Minority cell chief and BSP candidate Haji Ibrahim Shaikh is a formidable foe. Popularly known as Bhaijan,Shaikh commands a great hold over the sizeable number of Muslim community that accounts for almost 16% of the voters here.