Chandivli locals see little change as BMC polls manifestos mirror 2017 promises

As political parties roll out their manifestos ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC elections residents of Chandivli are experiencing a strong sense of deacutejagrave vu A comparison between the 2017 citizensrsquo manifesto and the current one reveals a striking similarity underscoring how little has changed on the ground over the past eight yearsIssues such as poor road conditions inadequate drainage waterlogging during monsoons traffic congestion lack of open spaces and insufficient healthcare and civic amenities featured prominently in the 2017 Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association CWCA manifesto Alarmingly the same concerns continue to dominate the current election discourse indicating that longstanding civic problems remain unresolved Residents say the repetition of these demands highlights a persistent gap between electoral promises and actual deliveryMandeep Singh Makkar founder Chandivli Citizens Welfare AssnInterestingly antidefacement remains a key talking point in the citizen grouprsquos manifesto where contesting leaders from the ward have been asked to undergo a formal pledge that they will not install any signs or promotional hoardings that will deface the ward The citizen group has also called for a ban on using promotional names and pictures on public amenities stating ldquoPaisa Hamara Photo Tumhara Nahi Chalegardquo You canrsquot take undue credit for work done using public moneySome other critical demands highlighted include RTI transparency bringing a stop to freebies and maintenance of public spaces ldquoIn a city like Mumbai people simply donrsquot have the bandwidth to go and file an online RTI query Activating a robust online RTI system for the municipal body is a mustrdquo said Mandeep Singh Makkar founder of CCWAThe citizen group also pointed out that Chandivli residents were distributed freebies like sarees and juicers right before the Model Code of Conduct was implemented stating that these funds could have been better used for policy implementation Dilapidated Marathi schools the incomplete 90feet road waste management waterlogging remain longstanding issues Illmaintained public spaces like gardens and development of sports complexes were also highlightedldquoAt the moment the public gardens in Chandivli are full of debris Gamblers and drunkards occupy the spaces and common residents cannot use theserdquo Makkar told middayMakkar stated that after every election the CCWA hands its manifesto to candidates ldquoWe have raised these issues with leaders and political parties yet the problems remain unresolved despite the BMC budget increasing every year Politicians continue to deface our area despite high court orders Nothing serious is being done regarding air pollution and there is no serious approach toward implementing the Development Plan DP or constructing pending roads mentioned within it We have witnessed the misuse of public funds through the distribution of sarees cookers and mixers before elections Furthermore public land is being encroached upon by politicians under the guise of vachanalayas libraries Footpaths and roads are covered in garbagerdquo he saidAccording to Makkar there is a lack of transparency in public spending and project information boards are missing ldquoMany projects such as the 90feet road connecting JVLR to Chandivli exist only on paper despite tenders being issued two years ago Whatever little work is completed with public funds is branded with the names and photos of politicians to take creditldquoThe BMC online complaint system hardly works as officials often close complaints by labelling them as lsquofalsersquo In the absence of corporators the BMC is being run under the guidance of MLAs and the state government Consequently the issues we have been raising remain unresolvedrdquo Makkar addedManifesto summarised Aspiring nagar sevaks to pledge they wonrsquot deface ward No names and pictures on public amenities No more freebies Online RTI system Reduce burden of property tax on citizens Ethical use of funds Citizensrsquo issues to be raised in municipal offices Public participation when deciding on use of public places lsquoPedestrian Firstrsquo policy Resolve traffic congestion by implementing DP Development Plan complete construction of 90feet road Control air pollution Maintain public spaces Effective waste management Potholefree roads Nagar Sevaks are not to switch political parties after election Develop sports centresamenities across ChandivliPowai Work to be completed after a tender is passed Stop manual scavenging completely Maintain public gardens Develop fully functional fire station Prevent waterlogging Utility ducts to cut down on digging Meet with citizen forums Float dashboard with updates of BMC projects24No of points listed in the manifesto