Surindra Khubchandani member, H-West Federation, writes an open letter to Ashish Shelar, with hopes that the new MLA will bring a much-needed change
Dear Mr. Shelar,
Our primary demand is for good governance and enforced reforms in The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and the police department.
Our area was developed under a town-planning scheme with demarcated plots and infrastructure. But as no punishment is meted out to government servants, they have blatantly exploited laws, encouraging illegal construction and illegal hawkers for personal gain. We, the residents of Khar, have been suffering for the past 20 years due to the nexus between MCGM/police and the politicians, builders, water tank suppliers, mafia and encroachers.
We pay property tax that is exorbitantly high yet receive contaminated drinking water. Storm water drains carry sewage water throughout the year. Sewage pipes are choked and often overflow on the road. Drain covers are broken or missing. The area stinks and we face mosquito menace and traffic woes.
Our roads, footpaths and public spaces have been encroached by hawkers and local shopkeepers. The safety of thousands of school children and senior citizens is compromised as they are exposed to traffic hazards and uneven paver blocks. We have traffic jams and waterlogging problems due to mismanagement.
On mornings, one can encounter masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, polishwalas assemble to solicit business outside Khar railway station on the western side, thereby blocking the approach road to the railway station. I request you to move them to another place. Some people like to feed pigeons and this creates a menace.
There is a huge need for public toilets. We have persons with disabilities (PWDs) and because of the lack of accessible infrastructure, they cannot access public places; travel becomes difficult for them too. We need to ensure that at least one tiolet in every block is designed for PWDs and senior citizens.
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