Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 26: As Mumbai prepares for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, civic issues have once again taken centre stage across the city’s 24 wards, with D-Ward emerging as a striking example of sharp contrasts and long-standing urban challenges.

One of Mumbai’s oldest civic divisions, D-Ward encompasses some of the city’s most prominent localities, including Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar, Girgaon, Grant Road, Chowpatty, parts of Marine Drive and Tardeo. Iconic landmarks such as Girgaon Chowpatty, Breach Candy Hospital, Marine Drive and Haji Ali Dargah lend the ward its distinct identity.

While Malabar Hill and Walkeshwar house Raj Bhavan, the Chief Minister’s official residence, and homes of ministers, judges and industrialists, areas like Girgaon and Grant Road continue to struggle with ageing buildings, congested lanes and basic civic shortcomings. Politically, the ward falls under Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant’s parliamentary constituency and BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s assembly segment, and comprises six BMC wards numbered 214 to 219. The population is largely dominated by Jain, Gujarati and Parsi communities.

Despite its central location and prominence, residents of D-Ward face persistent civic problems, including ageing water pipelines, low water pressure, frequent road digging, inadequate footpaths, parking shortages, encroachments and the unchecked spread of political hoardings. Poor coordination between civic departments has further aggravated these issues.

Residents from upscale neighbourhoods have also raised concerns. Malabar Hill resident Prakash Munshi pointed to rising traffic congestion on BG Kher Marg, pollution caused by construction activity and incidents of landslides allegedly occurring without proper geological assessments. Rahul Kadri, chairman of the Nepean Sea Road Citizens’ Forum, said residents have been demanding proper footpaths for over 15 years and reiterated the need for a dedicated pedestrian-only coastal walkway linking Nepean Sea Road and Priyadarshini Road.

In older neighbourhoods such as Grant Road and Girgaon, residents continue to grapple with water leakages, fears of contamination during the monsoon, pothole-ridden internal roads and garbage disposal issues. While redevelopment has improved structural safety in many buildings, it has also led to higher population density, increased traffic and greater strain on civic infrastructure.

Parking remains a major challenge, particularly in older buildings that lack designated parking spaces. Vahid Shaikh, president of Mumbai Janseva Sangh, said senior citizens find it increasingly difficult to cross busy roads like Lamington Road due to illegal parking and frequent towing operations.

Concerns have also been raised over cleanliness, encroachments and environmental protection along Chowpatty Beach and Marine Drive, with residents urging the BMC to prioritise coastal sustainability and long-term planning.

As election season approaches, residents across D-Ward are hoping that long-standing civic grievances will finally translate into focused action and accountability from elected representatives.