BMC polls: With votes at stake, Malad candidates promise relief from traffic and neglect

MUMBAI: Traffic congestion, poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare and environmental degradation have emerged as major concerns across the P North administrative ward, which comprises Malad (West), with candidates and residents flagging long-pending infrastructure gaps ahead of the civic polls. P North stretches from near Malad railway station to Aksa Beach.

Congress candidate from electoral ward No. 47, Parminder Singh Bamra, said traffic on Malad Link Road could have been eased had the back road, known as Creek Road, been completed. "Nearly 80% of the work is complete. If finished, it would ensure smooth traffic flow towards Malwani, Gorai and Charkop," he said, identifying bottlenecks at Sundar Lane, Mittal College and the stretch between Chincholi and Mithi Chowki. "Simply clearing these choke points would improve traffic movement and reduce air pollution," he said.




BJP candidate Sumitra Mhatre from ward No. 49, which includes Aksa Beach and the Ambujwadi slums, highlighted multiple civic shortcomings. She pointed to poor sanitation in Gaothans, the absence of health and vaccination centres and the urgent need for a civic hospital. "Transportation is a major issue. We need buses with higher frequency, traffic signals and zebra crossings to reduce accidents on Madh-Marve Road," she said, adding that street lighting was inadequate, particularly near the jetty, which remains isolated. Mhatre stressed the need for better security for women in Gaothans and flagged water scarcity as a persistent concern. Environmental damage has further compounded residents' worries. Mhatre said the destruction of mangroves is alarming. "Garbage, debris and plastic are being dumped into the mangroves," she said.

Residents say these problems are common across communities. Santosh Koli, a resident of Madh Koliwada, said there are around seven koliwadas and an equal number of gaothans in the ward, all facing similar issues. "The coastline is dirty, sanitation is poor and roads inside villages are narrow. There are no street lights, no civic dispensaries and no good civic hospital. Transportation is infrequent and unreliable," he said. Marve, Malwani, Erangal, Aksa Bhatti, Dinde and Bhandarwada are among the koliwadas and gaothans.

Vasudev Kanade, a resident of Bhandarwada, raised concerns about the municipal market near the railway station. "Earlier, it had a good spread of fruit and vegetable vendors. Now it has been taken over by garment sellers, with rents being Rs 1-1.5 lakh," he said. Unable to afford these, vegetable vendors have moved onto the road. "Illegal hawking outside the railway station has become rampant, and during peak hours it is nearly impossible to walk."

Nanu Rathod, a small-time tailor with a shop on Mamletdar Wadi Road off SV Road, said that while road widening and concreting had resolved chronic waterlogging, they had created new problems. "The grilled manhole covers have led to an increase in mosquitoes," he said. Rathod flagged health and safety as major concerns. "There is no civic hospital, and concreted roads have encouraged speeding. A speed breaker was installed only after a resident suffered a spinal injury in an accident," he said.

Venugopal Ayengar, a BSP candidate contesting from Nos. 35 and 47, said both wards have a large slum population where redevelopment projects have stalled. "Maintenance is poor, and water supply in the slums is inadequate," he said.

MNS candidate from No. 46, Snehita Dehalikar, described the area outside Malad railway station as chaotic despite road widening. She advocates the implementation of the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme.

Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh said a bridge connecting Link Road with Marve Road was urgently required but had been delayed due to coastal regulation clearances. "Redevelopment of slum clusters will resolve many civic issues and ensure that residents get homes double the size of their current ones."