It's hell on earth, say Andheri residents

Water shortage is acute, as is traffic congestion. And hordes of new office buildings are making things worse The saffron alliance has done the maximum of work promised in its manifesto. The rest was not possible as the ruling Congress-NCP did not cooperate with us. Parag Alavani, sitting BJP corporator

Sanjeev Shivadekar
Mumbai

IT IS fast becoming a big commercial hub in the city after Nariman Point and Bandra. Andheri (East) has undergone a metamorphosis from a simple residential area to a place dotted with glass-tinted multi-storeyed offices.An increase in the number of slum development projects and mushrooming commercial complexes has affected civic amenities.
So much so that residents are a disgruntled lot."It gives me feeling of hell on earth," said 30-year-old Manjiri Deshpande, a jewellery designer working in Twins Arcade at Marol Military Road.

The major problem that residents in K (East) ward, which includes area from Andheri (east) to Vile Parle, face is water shortage. The other civic amenities are nothing to boast about. There are other problems such as encroachment of footpaths and pavements and traffic congestion in the ward."There was regular water supply till the old structures were razed for
bigger buildings," said 70-year-old Savita Patel. She had been staying in the area for 45 years and recently shifted from a chawl to her 225 sq ft flat acquired under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme (SRA).Aarti Dubey (26), a lawyer and a resident at Mogara Pada, alleged that the
five-star hotels in the area get regular water supply although there's a water shortage in the area. "Just because hoteliers pay more than the residents at commercial rates, civic body maintains regular water supply," she said.

With population touching more than 8 lakhs, K (East) ward is the most populated ward among the 24 wards in the city. "The escalating commercial complexes within the jurisdiction have added pressure on the existing infrastructure. Hence, the ward's civic amenities are poor," said James John, coordinator of Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI) for Andheri, Jogeshwari and Parle.

"The ward that was once known for having the most number of open plots, today is striving to find put a piece of open land for recreation," alleged John.Reservation of 80,000 sq meter open plot at Fantasyland on the JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road was changed for residential complex.Moreover, reservation was changed for constructing Matohsree Club and
similarly reservation of many plots has been changed for many other commercial and residential structures, he added.

"The commercial and residential exploitation has added up to the existing problems such as parking, water supply and open spaces," said Kailash Dhuliya, a resident of Teli Gulli in Andheri.Kailash Mohanlal Dhuliya, an arts graduate from Ruparel, has been staying in
a chawl in the ward for many years. He had never seen so many people passing
through his chawl's land (a shortcut to the airport) to go to the airport and Seepz (Santacruz Electronic Processing Zone).

"In the past five years, the scenario has changed so much that I feel as if I am staying in the middle of a crowded and booming township," said Dhuliya.Manjiri, who daily commutes from Thane to Andheri, raises another point. "There's no proper parking arrangement for those who come here to earn their bread and butter. Bus stops do not have shades, inconveniencing commuters during monsoon and summer." sanjeev.shivadekar@hindustantimes.com

WARD K (East) Time to move on VERDICT Taxpayers are deprived of basic civic
amenities such as clean roads, hospitals and adequate water supply. As the international airport is in the ward, the surrounding g area should be maintained properly. The first impression is always the last impression.

DEEPAK KOTHARE (60) retired bank employee HT CHAT ROOM HAVE AN OPINION

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We will publish the best responses and take the cam paign forward.Electoral wards: 66,67,68,69,70,71, 72,73,74,75,76,77,78, 79, 80 Areas: Vile Parle (E), Andheri (E), Jogeshwari (E) Total area: 24.78 sq. km Total population: 8,10,002 Problems: Traffic, garbage disposal, water shortage and encroachments on footpaths are the main issues in this ward.Ward Profile: Population-wise, the ward is the largest ward in the city. Most of the areas in the ward comprise of upper class and middle class population. There are also a few slum pockets. Of the total 15 wards, six have been reserved for backward class and 4 for women. The population is cosmopolitan with Maharashtrians, south Indians, Gujaratis, Muslims and north Indians. There are also a large number of Punjabi voters in the area.
The saffron alliance has a stronghold in the ward. Of the total 15 corporators, 13 are from the Sena-BJP.



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