A survey conducted by DNA-iMrs points that what the city expects most from its newly elected corporators is better roads.
MUMBAI: For a change, it is not a fractured verdict. The people of the city have sent an emphatic message to the new management of the BMC - give us better roads. This was revealed in a DNA-iMrs survey conducted to determine the issues people think the civic body must address first.
The message comes from all segments of society. Eighty-three per cent of respondents from socio-economic classification (SEC) A, 85 per cent from SEC B, and a whopping 89 per cent from SEC C feel that improvement of roads must be the BMC’s top priority.
Efficient medical services in municipal hospitals — beleaguered by chronic ailments such as paucity of medicines and poor administration — also features in the list of top five priorities. Poor condition, along with the lack of medicines in civic hospitals, was exposed in the recent serial train blasts and no wonder that 79 per cent of men and women sought immediate upgradation of civic hospitals.
Better garbage collection and enhancement of cleanliness levels in the city to help it attain world-class status is the next priority. Some 76 per cent women and 79 per cent men want corporators to improve garbage collection even as the proposed overhaul of the solid waste management has been promised by the administration.
Union wrangles, bureaucracy aside, people want results. Come monsoon, 72 per cent of men and 74 per cent of women wanted the administration to maintain cleanliness levels. Seventy-five percent of women and 76 per cent men wanted the civic body to clean drains and sewage lines before the monsoon as a preventive measure.
Despite technological upgradation, citizens want fast responses from the disaster management cell of the BMC (68 per cent men and 70 per cent women). The survey also put the onus on civic officials rather than politicians: 60 per cent women and 65 per cent men want the red-tapism in the civic body to vanish if Mumbai aspires to become a world-class city. More transparency is expected from big bosses. Here again, 58 per cent men and 62 per cent women also want to know how the funds are utilised and want greater scrutiny.
Post-celebrations, the BJP-SS combine has the task of ensuring that its promise of 24-hour water supply is fulfilled as 73 per cent of women and 69 per cent of men are rooting for it. Demanding more attention for the northern parts of city, 75 per cent of both men and women in the survey demanded clean water supply for suburbs as their priority.
During canvassing, most of the candidates who eventually won had promised clean water supply around the clock. And now, time has come for delivery, the 500 respondents in the survey said.
The quality of Mumbai roads, gashed as they are by potholes and weighed in by blockages throughout the year, is an issue around which the rich and middle-class residents have rallied with equal resolve. After loss of critical time owing to the election code of conduct, funds to the tune of Rs317crore will be due for clearance from the new civic body.
Projects such as concreting of major arterial roads in the city and suburbs can begin at last. The onus now is on the administration as well as the politicians. And, as the survey indicates, Mumbai is watching, closely…
Some things can wait
Some issues, respondents said, are crucial, but it can wait. Fifty per cent women felt that planting more trees in city is crucial, but 44 per cent said it can wait. Interestingly, 49 per cent of men want more open spaces and gardens, but 45 per cent of them said the initiative could wait. At least 6 per cent said it did not require any attention now.
Fifty per cent of women wanted immediate expedition of projects like Brimstowad, but 44 per cent said it could wait for some time. Steps like more powers for the civic commissioner with accountability are crucial, but can wait, said 48 per cent women while 47 per cent felt it needs to be done. Incidentally, while the civic officials are going gaga over their plans to upgrade the Byculla zoo, 47 per cent of men said that it could be held back. Equal number of women (47 per cent each) had divergent views. One set said it was priority, while the rest wanted to keep it on hold.
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