Locals complain about power and gas cuts, air pollution from dust, and significant traffic congestion; say will recall these issues during voting
GMLR patch stretches from Sonapur signal to Mulund Colony. PICS/SATEJ SHINDE
Mulund residents are facing inconvenience caused by the long ongoing Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project. From electricity cuts to air pollution, the area that once offered a prime standard of living has been caught amidst the city’s mammoth project. While residents understand that such projects take years to complete, people living along the LBS Marg want construction along the Sonapur junction to be completed as a priority.
“Mulund residents are always surrounded by digging. First we had the Metro, then the GMLR; there are private companies with their connection lines. There is seemingly no end to it,” said Ramaswamy Krishnan, secretary of the Marathon Maxima residential society.
Mulund Colony
The other end of the society lies along a stretch of GMLR, which is still under construction. mid-day observed that the narrow spaces which were left for pedestrians and vehicles were already being used for parking. “This junction is already heavy on traffic, and the work has been underway for too long. We wish that the civic authorities would clear out at least this patch speedily,” Krishnan added.
“The authorities need to think about pedestrian movement now itself. If they have to dig for a subway, now is the time,” he further said. Further up along the GMLR, citizens have been facing troubles with weekly power cuts for many months now. At one of the residential buildings in Mulund Colony, 81-year-old Venkatraman Iyer finds it difficult to navigate his way downstairs without an elevator.
Venkatraman Iyer, a resident
“We do not have a [power] backup for the lift, and the power cuts have been difficult for senior citizens like myself. Since I am home all day, I realise that we are losing electricity for a few hours nearly every week. My son finds it difficult to work from home when there are power cuts in the evening,” Iyer told mid-day.
Voices
Keziya Fernandes, Mulund Colony resident
“With power cuts, we have been facing problems with the elevator too. Senior citizens in our building are held up, there is trouble while cooking, and our house help cannot work properly. Occasionally, we experience prolonged power outages. We also lose our gas connection at times, but we are intimidated accordingly Another problem I have been facing is safety. I try not to send my children downstairs to play in the evenings.”
Ramdas Patil, Resident of Hoechst Quarters, Mulund
“We lose electricity every 2-3 days in the morning; we don’t have electric backup. Since we don’t have a direct gas pipeline, we don’t face problems there. However, the GMLR work has led to air and dust pollution all around the area, and many of our neighbours keep falling ill due to respiratory conditions. We will recall all issues while casting our vote before this election.”
Official Speak
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL)
“No citizens from the concerned area have registered a complaint about frequent power interruptions. There is a possibility that there could be internal wiring troubles. If citizens register a complaint with their consumer code, we can get to the bottom of things.”
Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL)
“As a standard procedure for road diversion activities, MGL is given prior intimation, and the PNG gas supply of the specific area is temporarily stopped as a safety precaution to carry out the work. The customers are informed in advance of gas stoppage in such cases.”
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
“To control pollution, we are using anti-smog guns, providing green cloth, and sprinkling water on roads. There is a proposed cable-stayed bridge at Sonapur Jn which is expected to be completed by December 2026. One arm of the flyover (two lanes) from Srishti Oasis Bldg (near GG Singh Rd) up to Sonapur Jn will likely be functional by June. The entire Mulund side flyover is expected to be complete by December.”
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