Mumbai’s three constituencies want clean air, better homes

Election promises in Mumbai's Jogeshwari, Chandivali, and Dharavi focus on redevelopment, health concerns, and tribal welfare.

In the three constituencies of Jogeshwari, Chandivali and Dharavi in Mumbai, the issues of obstacles around redevelopment, rising health concerns due to air pollution, illegal high-rises coexisting with slums and industrial units, long-pending rehabilitation projects, poor living condition in slums, lack of tribal welfare are major poll promises.

From Jogeshwari (coming under Mumbai North-West parliamentary seat), Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Anant Bala Nar (58), who has been a corporator for 10 years and chairperson of several BMC committees, is contesting against Shiv Sena candidate Manisha Waikar (61), who is the wife of MP Ravindra Waikar. Mr. Waikar switched from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena just before Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

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From Chandivali (Mumbai North-Central), Naseem Khan (61), a Congress candidate who has been a four-time MLA, is contesting against Shiv Sena candidate Dilip Lande (63), who has been MLA since 2014.

In Dharavi (Mumbai South-Central), where a heated discussion over the multi-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project has been in the news, Congress candidate Jyoti Gaikwad (47), who is also the sister of Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad, is contesting against Shiv Sena candidate Rajesh Khandare (50), a social worker.

Ms. Manisha Waikar said that once in power, the key concern will be to focus on slum rehabilitation projects. “It has been a long pending demand of people to live in afforadable and decent homes. MP Ravindra Waikar has taken this concern to New Delhi and demanded for affordable homes under the Prime Minister’s fund for tribals and slum dwellers.”

While leaders with political background were seen campaigning with pomp and splendour in vans and sunroof cars decked up with marigold flowers with autos and motorbikes in the front and back rooting for the candidate on speakers, Independent candidate Vitthal Govind Lad, founder of Kashtakari Shetkari Sanghtana and Shramik Mukti Andolan, was walking from locality to locality interacting with people. He is contesting from Jogeshwari East Assembly seat and his party symbol “pen nib with seven rays” speaks of the concerns of people who are working with the organisation for years. “We have crowdfunded the election campaign cost and the security deposit of ₹10,000 for me to contest. All the pamphlets, posters, banners, and microphone costs. We do not have any car or big vans. We are walking and interacting with people,” said Mr. Lad, who has been a social worker for the past 41 years with a degree in Master of Social Work from Mumbai University.