Sena-BJP leaders put off meet
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena-BJP’s seat-sharing talks have hit a deadlock with both parties continuing to haggle over some wards. The row was to have been resolved at a meeting between Sena executive chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Wednesday.
However, the two did not meet, evidently a pressure tactic, prompting middle-rung Sena-BJP functionaries to do some sabrerattling in an attempt to enhance the grassroot workers’ collective morale which has been bruised by loss of seats to the ally.
Scotching speculations of splitsville, a BJP functionary said, “This is an Indian marriage—temper tantrums and inflated egos are a part of the ritual.’’
While Uddhav held talks with his senior party colleagues at Matoshree, the BJP’s Mumbai unit deliberated over the pre-poll crisis at the party’s central Mumbai headquarters.
Uddhav will meet Munde on Thursday for fresh talks. Munde is said to be keen on sealing a poll pact with the Sena. TNN CREAKY BOOMTOWN A Development Boom Has Boosted The Andheri-Juhu Area’s Upmarket Credentials, But Infrastructure Remains Pathetic
One of the most crowded and congested suburban areas along the Western Railway line, the K-West ward is also one of the most happening. The malls, multiplexes, restaurants, bars and beach offer people a lively social and night life. However, the area, which is largely made up of the Andheri (West) suburb, also has some of Mumbai’s worst infrastructure in terms of roads and water supply. The huge nouveau riche population here competes with Bandra and the rich enclaves of the island city in terms of spending power. The upmarket areas of Juhu,
Versova, Seven Bungalows
Four Bungalows, Lokhandwala and Oshiwara are part of this bustling ward. With a population of around 7 lakh, K-West easily qualifies to be a civic corporation on its own.
In the past five years, the ward has seen a tremendous construction boom. But the sharp rise in development has seen this oncequiet suburb also becoming a victim of Mumbai’s poor planning. Water is in short supply, with the Lokhandwala area alone receivings around 400 tankers a day. The sewage pumping station, which also pumps rainwater out to sea, gets inundated during the monsoons.
Other infrastructural problems loom large. Step out of Andheri station and the commuters’ nightmare begins. “It takes 35 minutes to travel by train from Andheri to Churchgate, but an hour to go from Lokhandwala to the station by road,’’ laments a resident.
Closer to the station, the broken, uneven footpaths have been overtaken by hawkers, forcing commuters to either criss-cross through this uneven maze or dangerously walk on the busy S V Road.
The headaches don’t end there. A large section of the population has the power to own more than one car, but unfortunately parking spaces are not enough. There are only five pay-and-park locations. While shopping malls have mushroomed, the civic authorities haven’t thought of parking.
Rishi Agarwal, an environmentalist and Lokhandwala resident, said there has also been a mushrooming of garages and secondhand car dealers, who take up footpaths. The Andheri Link Road has traffic jams in the evenings, thanks to the three multiplexes and hordes of cars parked along the sixlane road. On Juhu Tara Road, hotels and eateries lead to traffic jams. Signals most often do not work and junctions are rarely manned by cops. There are also neither zebra crossings nor lane markings.
“Scavengers and slumdwellers who set up homes on footpaths are also a serious problem. This has also led to an increase in the number of chain-snatchings and burglaries in our area,’’ said Vishakha Modi, trustee, M A High School, Andheri (West).
The water supply has not kept pace with the construction boom. The 11km, Veravali-Versova tunnel, which will increase water supply to this area, will be completed only by 2011. Till then, residents have to rely on tankers. Older areas of the suburb, such as Amboli, are amongst the worst affected.
Illegal construction is also rampant. In the last 20 years, the Andheri gaothan has turned into an ugly concrete jungle. Finally, the once-quiet Versova fishing village, which today has an annual turnover of Rs 100 crore, has become a hodgepodge of gullies and illegal constructions, owing to Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
WHAT PEOPLE WANT
Less congested roads, especially around the station area
Cleared, even footpaths. They should be free of hawkers, encroachers, parked vehicles and construction debris
More parking spaces, especially around places regularly visited by people, like malls and multiplexes
More signals, zebra crossings and traffic police, to reduce chaos on roads