City: Mumbai

या मालिकेच्या पहिल्या  भागात, आपण बघितले  कि कशी जय भीम नगरच्या रहिवाश्यांची घरं पाडली गेली आणि त्या ठिकाणी असलेल्या हिरानंदानी गार्डन्सच्या कायदेशीरदृष्ट्या संशयास्पद इतिहासाचा आढावा घेतला. ५ ऑक्टोबर रोजी, मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या शिफारशीनुसार पवई पोलिसांनी बीएमसीच्या एस वॉर्डमधील अधिकाऱ्यांवर, हिरानंदानी ग्रुप (HGP Community Pvt Ltd) आणि चार सहकाऱ्यांवर जय भीम नगरमध्ये अनधिकृत पाडकाम केल्याबद्दल एफआयआर नोंदवला. आरोपींवर गुन्हेगारी कट, सार्वजनिक सेवकाने इजा करण्याच्या उद्देशाने चुकीचा दस्तऐवज तयार करणे आणि खोटी माहिती पुरवणे यांसारख्या आरोपांचा समावेश आहे. पाडकामापूर्वी जय भीम नगरमध्ये राहणाऱ्या ६०० -६५० कुटुंबांपैकी सुमारे १००-१५० कुटुंबे अजूनही तिथे राहत आहेत. मागील काही महिन्यांत तीव्र पावसाचा सामना करत राहिलेल्या या…

Visitors to Mumbai are often surprised by the city's lax attitude towards household waste segregation. Despite being aware of the importance of segregating garbage at its source, many residents fail to practise it because of various reasons. Meanwhile, Mumbai's dumping grounds are overflowing, and the situation worsens every year. Proposed solutions like waste remediation and waste-to-energy plants come with their challenges. Achieving real, on-ground change depends significantly on behavioural shifts. Moreover, experts have repeatedly pointed out that source segregation and decentralised processing are crucial to addressing waste issues. Can targeted interventions help? One major issue of legacy waste in the…

पवईच्या गजबजलेल्या फुटपाथवर एक ताडपत्रीने झाकलेले शेड रोज संध्याकाळी मुलांच्या किलबिलाटाने भरून जातं. 'सर्वांची लायब्ररी' ही जय भीम नगरातील फुटपाथवर राहणाऱ्या मुलांसाठी बनवलेली तात्पुरती अभ्यासिका आहे. इथे ते जवळच्या आयआयटी बॉम्बेच्या स्वयंसेवकांसोबत अभ्यास करण्यासाठी नियमितपणे येतात. ही अभ्यासिका इथे तीन महिन्यांपूर्वी सुरू करण्यात आली जेंव्हा जय भीम नगर वस्ती पाडली गेली आणि रहिवाशांना जबरदस्तीने तिथून हटवण्यात आले. ६०० च्या आसपास घरे असलेल्या या वस्तीतून बरेच रहिवासी इतरत्र स्थलांतरित झाले आहेत, परंतु सुमारे १५०-२०० कुटुंब अजूनही पाडलेल्या वस्तीच्या आसपासच्या रस्त्यावर राहत आहेत. "आम्हाला जाण्यासाठी कुठली ही जागा नाही , आम्ही इथेच राहू," असे शंकर, जय भीम नगरच्या एका रहिवाशाने  सांगितले. जय भीम नगर वस्ती, जी…

Sassoon Docks, located in Colaba in South Mumbai, were built in 1875 by Albert Abdullah David Sassoon. Initially a private enterprise, the Docks were later taken over by the Bombay Port Trust (BPT). This docking facility located by the Arabian Sea has been providing employment directly or indirectly to thousands of people. Moreover, it has brought lakhs of rupees worth of foreign exchange into the country and provided fish to the local population as well. Despite the massive economic contribution of the Sassoon Docks, the people working here have no economic security nor an infrastructure which supports their work. Who…

Riding on the success of Ladki Bahin Scheme and a flurry of manifesto promises from better pension for older people, increased honorarium for Asha and Anganwadi workers, the Mahayuti - BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)  and NCP ( Ajit Pawar) have swept the assembly elections with a tally of 230 out 288 seats in Maharashtra and 22 out of 36 seats in Mumbai. They are yet to announce the chief minister amidst heavy speculation as successful MLAs celebrate. As various reports and analyses indicate that the main factors were launch of welfare schemes or promises of the same, communal agenda…

In the previous part of this series, we reported on the demolition of the Jai Bhim Nagar settlements in Powai and delved into the legally dubious history of Hiranandani Gardens where they stood. On October 5th, the Powai police filed an FIR against officials of BMC's S ward, Hiranandani Group (HGP Community Pvt Ltd), and four associates on the recommendation of the Bombay High Court for conducting unauthorised demolitions in Jai Bhim Nagar. The charges against the accused include criminal conspiracy, public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury, and furnishing false information among others.  About 100-150 families…

A tarp-covered shed on a busy sidewalk in Powai lights up every evening with the cacophony of children. The ‘sabki library’ is a makeshift after-school space for the children of Jai Bhim Nagar living on the sidewalk, where they show up diligently to study with volunteers from nearby IIT Bombay.  The library was set up there over three months ago, soon after the Jai Bhim Nagar settlement was demolished, and its residents forcibly evicted. While many residents from the 600-odd homes have shifted elsewhere since then, about 150-200 families still live on the streets surrounding the demolished slum. “We have…

The 2024 Maharashtra election is not just a crucial determiner for the State but also for Mumbai. This is because it comes at a time when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been disbanded, leaving citizens without corporators to represent their concerns for the past two years. With no local representation, it isn't surprising that many candidates have released their individual manifestos, outlining the work they plan to undertake in their constituencies within the city. But do these manifestos address the challenges Mumbai is facing right now? The city has been struggling with a myriad of issues — huge gaps…

Table of contentsName of constituency: Borivali (AC 152)Incumbent MLA : Sunil Dattatraya Rane (BJP)2019 resultsConstituency summaryContesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Dahisar (AC 153)Incumbent MLA: Chaudhary Manisha Ashok (BJP)2019 resultsConstituency SummaryContesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Magathane (154)Constituency analysisIncumbent MLA: Prakash Rajaram Surve (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Mulund (155) Constituency analysis Incumbent MLA: Mihir Kotecha (BJP)2019 results: Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Vikhroli (156)Constituency analysis Incumbent MLA: Sunil Raut (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Bhandup West (157)Constituency Analysis Incumbent MLA: Ramesh Gajanan Korgaonkar (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Jogeshwari East (158) Constituency analysisIncumbent MLA:  Ravindra Dattaram Waikar (SHS)2019…

Shaina NC, a fashion designer, prominent personality in Mumbai and daughter of former sheriff of Mumbai Nana Chudasama, was earlier with the BJP for several years. She joined Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and is now contesting against Amin Patel (Congress) from Mumbadevi constiatuency. Even before campaigning could gain momentum, she was the centre of a controversy where the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant, called her “imported maal.” She protested vociferously and the opposition tried to apologise and douse the issue.  Mumbai goes to vote on November 20th and Shaina NC is leaving no stone unturned to appeal to…