In a final push before the city heads to the polls, active citizen groups and resident associations across Mumbai are ramping up efforts to directly confront electoral candidates. Their goal is to secure public, written commitments on long-standing civic issues, transparency, and accountability.
Citizen-Led Initiatives Take Center Stage
From detailed voter manifestos to interactive town hall meetings, the methods are diverse but the objective is unified: to put candidates on the spot. In the G North ward, covering parts of Dadar and Mahim, residents created a comprehensive 'voters' manifesto' that garnered close to 400 signatures. This document will be presented at a public 'Meet Your Candidate' event scheduled for Saturday at Shivaji Park.
The manifesto outlines clear demands, including the regular scheduling of ward meetings, public disclosure of questions and decisions made within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and transparent sharing of ward budgets, allocations, and expenditure details.
Local Charters and Direct Appeals
Similar grassroots movements are unfolding in other neighbourhoods. The non-governmental organisation AGNI has organised a 'Meet Your Candidate' interaction on January 10 at the Radio Club in Colaba, providing an open forum for voter engagement.
In Juhu, the Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group has prepared a citizens' charter focusing on stricter enforcement of civic norms. Key demands include:
- A ban on commercial vehicle parking in internal lanes.
- Eviction of unlicensed hawkers with proper implementation of designated hawking zones.
- A prohibition on cooking activities on footpaths and roads.
- Strict compliance by construction sites with pollution, noise, parking, and open-space regulations.
Meanwhile, residents of Madh Island and the neighbouring villages of Erangle, Aksa, and Marve have taken a direct approach. The registered body, The Villages Welfare Foundation (TVWF), has written to Congress candidate Sangeeta Koli, seeking firm commitments on critical infrastructure projects. Their flagged demands include the construction and maintenance of the Versova-Madh Island bridge, improved coastal road connectivity, a walk-over bridge across the creek, and the establishment of full-fledged hospital, police, and fire services in the area.
A Shift Towards Accountable Governance
This coordinated surge in citizen activism highlights a growing impatience with generic political promises. By using the final weekend before polling to seek written assurances, Mumbai's residents are attempting to shift the power dynamic. They are moving beyond mere appeals to establishing a framework for post-election accountability, ensuring that local issues remain at the forefront of the electoral agenda.
The efforts underscore a broader desire for participatory governance, where elected representatives are expected to commit publicly to specific, actionable plans for their constituencies. The success of these initiatives may well set a precedent for how urban voters across India engage with their political representatives in future elections.
