Mumbai is being tricked, politically!

@RavikiranRKD

Mumbai: The demand for appointing two municipal commissioners for Mumbai was followed by angry reactions on a demand to make Mumbai a union territory, it became clear that the elections to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are fast approaching. Over the years, whenever the city gears up to face an election be it  Lok Sabha, State Assembly, or the BMC elections, Mumbai’s status and martyrdom of 106 people for unified Maharashtra precedes over any other important issue. For the political class, it comes as a big solace as any discussion over managing the city affairs and demands of ordinary Mumbaikars takes a back seat.

The political atmosphere of Mumbai suddenly changed with Congress Minister Aslam Shaikh’s demand for two municipal commissioners for BMC. Expectedly, the main opposition party BJP immediately latched onto it saying whether the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government wanted to bifurcate the city. No discussion was held over the intention behind it. Shaikh was arguing that issues of suburban Mumbai remain neglected since the BMC HQs and offices of the municipal commissioner and additional municipal commissioners (AMCs) are in South Mumbai. A demand for relocating offices of the AMCs is long overdue. But the issue died in a political skirmish.

Similarly, when CM Uddhav Thackeray demanded making Marathi speaking areas of Karnataka, bordering Maharashtra, be declared a union territory, Karnataka Deputy CM Laxman Savadi sought to score a point by saying make Mumbai a union territory. The political parties got enough fodder with Congress and NCP asking for a reaction from the state BJP unit.

Mumbai is fed up with such political skulduggery as nobody can dare to touch the administrative status of the city. In fact, the city is crying for improvement in living standards and amenities.

A recent observation by Bombay High Court (HC) should come as a manifestation of general sentiments, harboured by scores of Mumbaikars for decades. As reported by the media, the HC, while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) observed that rewarding encroachers with free land at public cost is something that happens only in Maharashtra. If they encroach upon forest land, the government will notify another land free of cost. It’s a bonus on illegality… etc.

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Encroachment has been the most critical issue faced by the fast-mushrooming urban centers in Maharashtra in general and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in particular. An ordinary citizen from Mumbai or from the MMR yearns for a decent life. He sweats out to make both ends meet, pay taxes, struggle to reach the office on time and to reach home back at late hours,  travel in over packed trains, wait for hours in traffic jams without grumbling, etc.

Among the number of petitions filed over the most pressing issues of Mumbai, petitions about environment violations, illegal constructions, encroachments assume a significant number. The state government as well as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not been able to protect land parcels meant for public amenities only leading to chaos, delay in completion of vital projects along with cost escalations, and cost of rehabilitation.

The encroachments have hugely impacted the expansion of existing airports in Mumbai, additional railway tracks to increase the number of suburban and long-distance trains, widening of roads to smoothen traffic, key infrastructure projects, etc. This has resulted in a breakdown of services to cater to the current demands. One may come across over half a dozen petitions filed before HC on managing the city traffic in recent years. Every time the RTO, Traffic Police, BMC, and State Transport Department have promised to resolve the issue ushering in new measures. But things are the same and nobody can guarantee smooth traffic management on roads with no illegal parking.

Similarly, the projects such as adding the 5th and 6th railway line from Kurla to Thane took years to complete, and phase-2 from Thane to Diva is under construction for years together. The biggest hurdle in completing such projects and speeding up the Harbour Line connecting Navi Mumbai is due to the encroachments alongside the railway tracks. Whenever the government agencies try to remove the political pressure halts it. The expansion of the airports has stuck in limbo for the same reason.

One may not disagree over rehabilitation of the genuine project-affected people but protection to slums and demanding a rehabilitation package has become a preferred business venture for some. Ironically, one does not require permission to erect a slum or put up an illegal construction, but its removal certainly needs it with a notice, backed by law. And nowadays, encroachers demand rehabilitation in the same locality or nearby.  

The political class also favours them under the guise of helping the poor, with a clear intention of protecting their vote bank. Surprisingly, when they take pride in helping the poor, they rarely bother to check the quality of rehabilitation. Fact checks of present conditions at the colonies for the project affected people (PAPs) in far off suburbs such as Mankhurd, Turbhe-Mandale will expose it.

The issue of cut of date for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers is still pending in the Court. The Congress-NCP government decided to advance the date to January 1, 2000, but it has been challenged. Ignoring the court matter, the state decided to use the central government plank of ‘housing for all’ under Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY) later re-christened as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) after the BJP-led NDA government came to power in 2014 to protect the slum-dwellers. Interestingly, no major political party is willing to discuss the success or failures of the slum rehabilitation projects under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). Established 20 years ago, the state agency has been able to ensure the construction of just around 2 lakh housing units.

Even as, during the last decade, Mumbai has heard a lot about introducing water transport services as a remedy to the crumbling public transport system nothing positive has ever happened. When almost all the big cities across the world located along river banks or by the sea have affordable water transport systems, Mumbai never got it off due to sheer political apathy. Delayed Metro projects, ill-planned Monorail project, costly sea links with cost escalations have made things worse.

Citizens also need encroachment-free pavements and roads but that too is something like a dream. Roads leading to nearby stations or markets are mostly encroached by hawkers making things difficult. Besides, the easy availability of autorickshaws or taxies during peak hours is like a dream because it depends on the mood and desire of the cabbie or the rickshaw driver.

Apart from housing and public transport Mumbai badly needs dedicated parking slots and civic amenities such as gardens, recreation grounds, playgrounds, and amusement parks. Above all, the basic need is also for schools and colleges as getting admission for one’s child into a nearby school or college is an arduous task. For many, the fee structure is another cause of worry. To find a solution to most of the issues, Mumbai badly needs a system beyond politics. The city needs some pragmatic approach rather than a political one.

About the Author : Ravikiran Deshmukh is a senior journalist who has also served as the Media Coordinator to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He can be contacted at ravikiran1001@gmail.com