Mumbai's F South ward, a historic bastion of the city's working-class mill belt and Marathi strongholds, is at a critical juncture. Long-standing promises of urban redevelopment are now clashing with severe civic issues, the fallout from the Elphinstone Bridge demolition, and a shifting political landscape ahead of the BMC polls.
Infrastructure Strain and Resident Anger
The demolition of the Elphinstone Road Bridge, intended to ease congestion, has created a cascade of new problems. While traffic has lessened near the F South ward office, it has diverted heavily to areas like Currey Road. Krushnakumar Nagvekar, a resident of Ramdhoot Building in electoral ward No. 203, highlighted the danger: "Schoolchildren and the elderly can’t even cross the road without fearing for their lives anymore."
Residents of the 25 buildings impacted by the demolition, like Sriram Pawar from Samarth Niwas in ward No. 200, report increased pollution and fear for their old structures due to drilling vibrations. "We are unable to breathe properly," Pawar stated, expressing a sentiment that is pushing many towards a potential boycott of the upcoming civic elections.
Political Chessboard in a Sena Stronghold
This ward has traditionally been a Shiv Sena stronghold, with six of its seven former corporators still aligned with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). The political dynamics, however, are shifting. The sole Congress corporator from ward No. 201, Supriya Sunil More, has joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. Her husband, Sunil More, is also expected to contest, likely from the now-open seat of ward No. 200.
This move could mark the return of the bow-and-arrow symbol to the area's electoral fray. In the last assembly election, Shinde's faction did not field a candidate, leading to a direct contest between MNS's Bala Nandgaonkar and UBT's Ajay Chaudhari, who won. A portion of the ward also falls under the Wadala assembly constituency, held by BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar.
Civic Crisis: Water, Power, and Encroachments
Beyond traffic, the surge in construction of high-rise buildings has severely strained basic amenities. Former corporator Anil Kokil (ward No. 204) gave a stark analogy: "If 100 litres of water were once shared among 100 people, that same quantity is now expected to serve 1,000." This has led to acute water shortages and frequent power cuts due to an overburdened electricity network.
Other pressing issues include the closure of the Sai Baba Path municipal school, demolished last year after an oxygen cylinder explosion, and rampant encroachment. Civic activist Prasad Pradhan from Sewri pointed out that footpaths on GD Ambekar Road have been taken over by carwash centres, while Jivraj Road faces unauthorised parking of trucks, posing a potential fire hazard.
Frustrated by the lack of solutions, residents like Sriram Pawar are questioning the efficacy of their representatives. "The area is under MLA Kolambkar, who has held the seat for a long time. If he is unable to help us, what will corporators do?" This disillusionment threatens to translate into a voter boycott, adding an unpredictable element to the upcoming BMC elections in this crucial Mumbai ward.
