This shoppers’ paradise flirts with fire hazards daily

Overview

With more than 38 wholesale markets, congested lanes, illegal buildings, haphazard parking of vehicles, traffic jams, toxic fumes coming out of chimneys protruding from old and dilapidated buildings that house thousands of jewellery making units — that’s C ward in a nutshell. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not bothered to set up a single fire station in the ward, even though it is a tinder box. The numerous goldsmith’s workshops in the area are potential fire hazards.

“Though the civic body has been given option of two open plots in the area, it has not taken any decision on constructing Fire Station in the area”, said Janak Sanghavi, BJP ex-corporator of the area who has been following up the issue since past nine years. We have requested a mini fire station with at least one fire tender and water tanker, but even that request has been fallen on deaf years. C ward will soon have two new stations Kalbadevi (Princess Street) and Girgaum under the Metro - III project.

This area has Asia’s largest textile wholesale market Mulji Jetha Market, retail market — Mangaldas Market, wholesale medicines market — Dava bazaar, wholesale market for electrical goods and electrical appliances, gold market — bullion, optical market, stainless steel, metal, paper, stationery, bicycles, ready-made garments, saris etc. Apart from wholesale market, this area is also politically and culturally active. Several actors from Marathi Cinema and theater have started their lives from the area.

Political Scenario 

Barring a few areas like Abdul Rehman street and parts of Bhendi Bazaar which is a stronghold of Congress-NCP and Samajwadi Party, most parts of C ward are dominated by the Shiv Sena-BJP combine. Presently, leaders such as Arvind Nerkar, Pandurang Sakpal and corpporator Surendra Bagalkar have maintained the Marathi vote bank. Meanwhile, BJP leaders such as late Jaywantiben Mehta, MLA Atul Shah, Raj Purohit have ensured that their loyal vote-bank does not shift. 

In 2012, out of four electoral wards, the Shiv Sena won two seats and BJP and Samajwadi Party one each. Following delimitation, the boundaries of electoral wards have changed. The number of electoral wards have been reduced from four to three wards. This will change equations for the Sena-BJP combine and also for Congress-NCP and Samajwadi Party, as their voter profiles in their earlier strongholds have changed.

issues

Goldsmith’s workshops are nothing but fire hazards, being equipped with concentrated acids, gas cylinders and furnaces used for making gold jewellery

Narrow roads with parking on both sides.

No public parking lots, which is much needed.

Redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings is the need of the hour

Cleanliness is a prime issue as the floating population entering the ward for purposes of shopping at the markets litter the area. Round the clock clean-up is not carried out.

Residents speak

Considering almost entire C ward as market area, the least BMC can do is to provide better footpaths. Footpaths are broken, undulated and simply scary for pedestrians. Roads are narrow and due to no parking space in the area as most buildings are old, vehicles are parked on both sides of the road. There is no space to walk at all. Cleanliness is also an issue BMC needs to look into.
—Sweety Sanghavi, Trustee of Saarthi Foundation NGO

Apart from cleanliness of house gullies and constant road digging, biggest menace in the area is of jewellery units. More than 15 - 20 works men from Bengal are cramped up in small 100 - 150 Sq ft room which also has their equipment and concentrated acids, gas cylinders and furnaces used for making jewellery. Toxic fumes affects residents of the area who constantly lives under fear of risking their lives. BMC officers turn blind eye to our complaints. We have approached court as last hope as in past fire accidents have claimed lives.
—Jawahar Dave, Resident of Chira Bazaar and Trustee of Neelkanth Mahadeo Trust 

The official word

Keshav Dhotre, who is currently in charge of C ward in place of Assistant Commissioner Jivak Santosh Ghegadmal, said, “The biggest challenge of the ward is cleaning 1917 house gullies regularly as people keep throwing garbage. Also, traffic due to parking on both sides of the road is a big issue, since old buildings do not have parking space and people park on the road. The floating population in the ward, who come for shopping, needs toilets. The Ward office is upgrading urinals to toilets and giving priority to women’s toilets. The Ward is taking continuous action against jewellery making units. While redevelopment is the need of the hour, few buildings are already slated under cluster development project. Roads are also being upgraded by the authorities”