Maharashtra polls: Shelar on Bandra West—"The people will vote for development"

As Maharashtra heads towards the 2024 elections the Bandra West Assembly constituency a mix of upscale neighbourhoods centuriesold villages and congested slum pockets continues to grapple with issues like water scarcity sanitation and redevelopment Narrow roads parking woes hawker encroachment and rising pollution are among the key concerns for its residents However Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar who is contesting the seat for the fourth time believes his track record and ongoing developmental plans will see him throughShelars Track Record and Campaign StrategyShelar has had a successful run in Bandra West securing the seat in 2014 and 2019 Despite the large Muslim electorate in the constituency which traditionally votes for Congress Ashish Shelar has managed to retain his position by focusing on development In 2014 the difference in votes between Congress and BJP was substantial In 2019 despite the alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP the result remained unchanged Shelar said confidently He believes the people of Bandra West will vote for development once again in 2024However Congressrsquo Asif Zakaria is not backing down He claims that in 2019 the vote difference between the two parties was only about 3500 and with the support of the INDIA bloc this time the result could be differentAddressing local issues water supply and infrastructureBandra West while better than many parts of Mumbai still faces challenges in basic services One pressing issue is the erratic water supply especially during festivals when pressure is low in certain areas Shelar points out that despite being in power for 25 years the previous administration has failed to address leakages and water pressure issues However he reassures residents with a solution in the form of a tertiary wastewater treatment plant near the BandraWorli Sea Link which will supply potable water to commercial establishments freeing up resources for residential useShelar also touches on potholeridden roads a problem that has plagued Mumbai for years Under CM Eknath Shindersquos leadership Shelar says potholefree roads are being prioritised The government has already begun work to repair roads across the city with more contractors now willing to participate due to changes in the tendering processHawker encroachment and pollutionA thorn in the side of many Bandra residents is the hawker menace We need a statelevel hawking policy that resolves this issue once and for all Footpaths should be for pedestrians not hawkers said Lillian Pais a local resident Shelar agrees and says he will continue to fight for this in the coming termIn addressing pollution Shelar blames the previous government for permitting construction projects that increased dust and air pollution While he does not intend to halt construction Shelar promises stricter monitoring to curb pollution from these ongoing projectsRedevelopment and job creationShelar also touches on the ongoing redevelopment of slum pockets in Bandra He insists that SRA Slum Rehabilitation Authority projects can bring significant change to urban areas although he acknowledges corruption within the system We must tackle corruption without scrapping the entire scheme he saysOn the matter of job creation Shelar points to new industries and professions emerging in event management food and travel services We need a supportive ecosystem to nurture these industries and the government has to play a role he addsAddressing resident concernsDespite his achievements Shelar has faced criticism for issues like the Patwardhan Park parking project and the slow progress of Bandra Fort renovation However he defends his record citing his involvement in resolving the park issue by writing to the BMC to scrap the parking project He assures Bandra residents that the fort renovation is on the agenda and will be addressed in the near futureThe future of Bandra WestWith the 2024 Maharashtra elections fast approaching Shelar remains confident about his chances in Bandra West He believes the constituency is with him and that the BJPrsquos emphasis on development and infrastructure will resonate with voters The people of Bandra West will vote for progress and I am committed to delivering that Shelar concluded