Chandivli residents see little change as BMC Election manifestos mirror 2017 promises

A pamphlet highlighting points raised in the CCWA manifesto. Pics/By Special Arrangement

As political parties roll out their manifestos ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, residents of Chandivli are experiencing a strong sense of déjà vu. A comparison between the 2017 citizens' manifesto and the current one reveals a striking similarity, underscoring how little has changed on the ground over the past eight years.

Issues such as poor road conditions, inadequate drainage, waterlogging during monsoons, traffic congestion, lack of open spaces, and insufficient healthcare and civic amenities featured prominently in the 2017 Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association (CWCA) manifesto. Alarmingly, the same concerns continue to dominate the current election discourse, indicating that long-standing civic problems remain unresolved. Residents say the repetition of these demands highlights a persistent gap between electoral promises and actual delivery.

Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder, Chandivli Citizens Welfare Assn

Interestingly, anti-defacement remains a key talking point in the citizen group's manifesto, where contesting leaders from the ward have been asked to undergo a formal pledge that they will not install any signs or promotional hoardings that will deface the ward. The citizen group has also called for a ban on using promotional names and pictures on public amenities, stating "Paisa Hamara, Photo Tumhara Nahi Chalega!" (You can't take undue credit for work done using public money).

Some other critical demands highlighted include RTI transparency, bringing a stop to freebies, and maintenance of public spaces. "In a city like Mumbai, people simply don't have the bandwidth to go and file an online RTI query. Activating a robust online RTI system for the municipal body is a must," said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of CCWA.

The citizen group also pointed out that Chandivli residents were distributed freebies like sarees and juicers right before the Model Code of Conduct was implemented, stating that these funds could have been better used for policy implementation. Dilapidated Marathi schools, the incomplete 90-feet road, waste management, waterlogging remain long-standing issues. Ill-maintained public spaces, like gardens, and development of sports complexes were also highlighted.

"At the moment, the public gardens in Chandivli are full of debris. Gamblers and drunkards occupy the spaces, and common residents cannot use these," Makkar told mid-day.

Makkar stated that after every election, the CCWA hands its manifesto to candidates. "We have raised these issues with leaders and political parties, yet the problems remain unresolved despite the BMC budget increasing every year. Politicians continue to deface our area despite high court orders. Nothing serious is being done regarding air pollution, and there is no serious approach toward implementing the Development Plan (DP) or constructing pending roads mentioned within it. We have witnessed the misuse of public funds through the distribution of sarees, cookers, and mixers before elections. Furthermore, public land is being encroached upon by politicians under the guise of vachanalayas (libraries). Footpaths and roads are covered in garbage," he said.

According to Makkar, there is a lack of transparency in public spending, and project information boards are missing. "Many projects, such as the 90-feet road connecting JVLR to Chandivli, exist only on paper despite tenders being issued two years ago. Whatever little work is completed with public funds is branded with the names and photos of politicians to take credit.

"The BMC online complaint system hardly works, as officials often close complaints by labelling them as ‘false'. In the absence of corporators, the BMC is being run under the guidance of MLAs and the state government. Consequently, the issues we have been raising remain unresolved," Makkar added.

Manifesto summarised

. Aspiring nagar sevaks to pledge they won't deface ward
. No names and pictures on public amenities
. No more freebies
. Online RTI system
. Reduce burden of property tax on citizens
. Ethical use of funds
. Citizens' issues to be raised in municipal offices
. Public participation when deciding on use of public places
. ‘Pedestrian First' policy
. Resolve traffic congestion by implementing DP (Development Plan); complete construction of 90-feet road
. Control air pollution
. Maintain public spaces
. Effective waste management
. Pothole-free roads
. Nagar Sevaks are not to switch political parties after election
. Develop sports centres/amenities across Chandivli/Powai
. Work to be completed after a tender is passed
. Stop manual scavenging completely
. Maintain public gardens
. Develop fully functional fire station
. Prevent waterlogging
. Utility ducts to cut down on digging
. Meet with citizen forums
. Float dashboard with updates of BMC projects

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No. of points listed in the manifesto