Maharashtra polls: In Dahisar, both candidates have identical election promises

Voters in Dahisar face a tough choice as candidates Manisha Chaudhary (BJP) and Vinod Ghosalkar (Shiv Sena UBT) make similar promises on redevelopment

MUMBAI: It’s likely to be a tough choice for the over-2.76 lakh voters in the Dahisar assembly constituency, given that both candidates here have made almost identical election promises. BJP candidate and sitting MLA Manisha Chaudhary and former MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vinod Ghosalkar have three main points that they have promised to take care of if elected.

Manisha Chaudhari of the BJP. X

The common promises are: not allowing ineligible Dharavikars from the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) to shift to Dahisar; revamp of the Dahisar check naka land into a bus terminal; and relocating the civil aviation ministry’s transmission equipment, which will ease the redevelopment process in the area. “We will not allow displaced people from Dharavi in the Dahisar octroi naka land,” said Chaudhary, who returned to her office in Borivali West after campaigning in the first half of the day. “I’m not against the project but it is only right that they should be rehabilitated within a five-km radius of Dharavi.”

Chaudhary said the space could instead be utilised to develop a bus terminal for intercity buses, which park haphazardly on the roads and congest the latter. “This will also help in generating revenue for the civic body,” she said. Chaudhary has been meeting locals from residential colonies and slums over the last few days.

A few kilometres away, her competitor Ghosalkar was campaigning in Daulat Nagar. “There is a need to redevelop the slum pocket of Ganpat Patil Nagar and rehabilitate the slum dwellers rather than rehabilitating people from Dharavi here,” he said. “The flaw with the DRP is that only a single businessman is benefitting out of it while common people are suffering. If elected, I will oppose the shifting of Dharavikars to Dahisar.” The senior Sena (UBT) leader is the father of Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was shot dead by a local history-sheeter during a Facebook live session a few months ago.

Both leaders also agreed that there was a lot of illegal encroachment at Ganpat Patil Nagar entering into the mangrove wetlands, and that a proper boundary wall and fencing was needed to prevent any further encroachment. Another common point of the duo’s campaigns is the creation of a bus terminal at Dahisar check naka to ease traffic issues. “I am proposing a bus terminal where passengers can be dropped, who can then take public transport or auto rickshaws. This will prevent the entry of huge private buses into the city,” said Ghosalkar.

When asked about this, Chaudhary said it was she who had raised this point in an assembly session. “This was my demand, which will soon be fulfilled,” she said. “Parking space for large intercity buses will be provided here near the octroi naka land, which otherwise was proposed to go towards creating accommodation for Dharavikars.”

The most important issue that people from Dahisar are demanding is the transfer of 56 acres of land in the suburb belonging to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to ease redevelopment issues there. “I am proposing a theme park on 40 acres of land and the remaining land can be used to create housing for government staff,” said Chaudhary. Echoing this, Ghosalkar said that shifting the AAI transmission towers was essential. “It is on my agenda, as I have received quite a few demands from people residing here,” he said.

The move to shift these towers will benefit several housing societies that are in a one-km radius—with height restrictions lifted, the societies can undergo redevelopment with higher FSI. Sources said the BMC was likely to take over the land by paying off the union ministry of civil aviation.

Kalpesh Patel, a resident of Dahisar, expressed concern over the ongoing delay in redevelopment projects due to the presence of Airports Authority of India (AAI) towers. He emphasised the need to relocate these towers to alleviate height restrictions, which have discouraged builders. Furthermore, he voiced opposition to the proposal of relocating Dharavi residents to the area, citing existing local issues and the urgency of addressing rising crime rates.

Other issues include the welfare of gaothan residents, taking care of mangroves and improved connectivity by public transport. The Dahisar assembly constituency comprises numerous old housing societies and huge slum pockets, including Ganpati Patil Nagar abutting the mangroves. Being the city’s western entry point, residents had issues with the toll payments they had to pay to cross to Mira Road. While the recent removal of the toll did bring relief, it increased traffic congestion on the main and approach roads. There is also a need for holistic planning at the Metro station near the check naka, where another Metro will be connected, as several infrastructure projects are coming up in the surrounding area.