BMC Election 2026: Ruia Park residents in Mumbai's Juhu announce civic poll boycott over traffic, garbage, and neglect

Residents of Ruia Park Apartments pose in front of their housing society, which is situated on Military Road in Juhu West. PICS/SATEJ SHINDE

Residents of the posh Ruia Park Apartments building on Military Road in Juhu have decided to boycott the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, alleging years of neglect by civic authorities. Residents claim that people from the neighbouring Mora Gaon locality dump garbage on the road, block the main entrance to their building, create a nuisance, and make the area unhygienic.

Society members alleged that every election brings promises from candidates, but no permanent solution to their problems has been provided so far. Ruia Park Apartments, established in 1986, comprises 84 flats and nine bungalows with around 100 residents, most of whom are in the entertainment industry and business world.

Mora Gaon was originally developed as a fishing yard, but over time, it turned into a densely populated residential area with a population of 10,000. Roads on both sides are constantly clogged with double-parked two-wheelers and hawkers. Even BEST buses reportedly face issues taking a U-turn at the spot.

Among Ruia Park Apartment's high-profile residents are actors Bhoomika Chawla, Rajat Bedi, Manik Bedi, scriptwriter and producer Shubhra Swarup, filmmaker Heeraz Marfatia, celebrity author and journalist Anju Kish, poet and writer Sunanda Swarup, and fashion designer Pooja Goswami.

Neeraja Jain, the society's chairperson, said, "Many candidates have told us that we are just 100 people and our votes do not matter. We want to show them that even 100 votes are enough when compared to 10,000. The election results will speak for themselves."

Residents Speak

Shubhra Swarup, scriptwriter and producer

‘Our society has been forgotten by the BMC. We get no relief from traffic congestion, garbage dumping, or hawkers. We cannot even take our vehicles out of the gate because residents of Mora Gaon block the road. We have complained multiple times to the traffic police and Juhu police, but there has been no solution. We are boycotting the upcoming BMC elections'

Pooja Goswami, fashion designer

‘To cross a stretch of just 100 metres, we have to spend at least 15 minutes stuck in traffic outside our society. We only want clean roads and a hygienic, peaceful life with traffic-free roads and no garbage. Our society's 100 votes can have an impact on the upcoming election'

Manik Bedi, actor

‘The neighbouring slum has around 10,000 residents, which makes it a strong vote bank for candidates, while we are just 100 residents and do not matter to them. Ambulances and fire engines cannot even enter our society due to the nuisance outside. We will not vote in this election, and our 100 votes will impact the winning candidates'

Heeraz Marfatia, filmmaker

‘The BMC has completely forgotten our society. A year ago, a fire broke out in the neighbouring slum, and we provided fire extinguishers and helped put it out. Despite this, we receive no support. It is impossible to cross these dirty, unhygienic, encroached, and triple-parked roads. We want to live peacefully. We will not vote for anyone this time, and we have also decided not to allow any candidates into our society for election campaigning'

Anish Laiwala, businessman

‘We held meetings with the BMC and police and lodged multiple complaints, but there has been no solution. The current road width is 8.3 metres, whereas it should be 13.4 metres as per the Development Plan. The BMC has marked it, but the encroached road has not been cleared'

Anju Kish, celebrity author and journalist

‘We pay property tax, income tax, and water tax, but we receive zero services from the BMC. All we want is proper road access for our vehicles. We will not vote in this election'