Battle for Mumbai’s Civic Body: Mangroves, Polluted River Dominate Election Discourse in Dahisar–Borivli

Mumbai | Undercover Editor News Channel

As Mumbai prepares for its next civic elections, the political spotlight in the R North ward — covering large parts of Dahisar and Borivli — has shifted decisively from party equations to environmental survival and failing civic infrastructure.

At the city’s northern edge, shrinking mangrove cover and the steady decline of the Dahisar River have emerged as defining concerns for voters and candidates alike. Once an ecological asset, the river today resembles an open drain, reflecting years of neglect, weak enforcement, and unchecked urban expansion.

Vanishing Mangroves Raise Alarm

Environmental activists warn that mangrove destruction in Dahisar West has reached alarming levels. Comparing aerial images from the mid-1990s with the current landscape reveals the scale of loss, with concrete structures steadily replacing green buffers.

“Urban development has been allowed to override ecological balance,” said environmental activist Harish Pandey. “Residents are deeply anxious about the next phase of the Coastal Road project. People want to know how many trees will be cut, whether compensatory plantation will actually happen, and what long-term damage the area will suffer.”

Mangroves play a crucial role in flood control and coastal protection — a fact not lost on residents who have witnessed increased waterlogging and erosion in recent years.

Dahisar River Still Choking on Pollution

Despite repeated promises, efforts to rejuvenate the Dahisar River have made little visible impact. While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is constructing a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Dahisar West to prevent sewage from entering the river, activists argue that enforcement remains the weak link.

Pandey pointed to a troubling contradiction. “An STP is already operational in Borivli East, yet waste from nearby cow sheds continues to be dumped into the river. Without strict monitoring, infrastructure alone achieves nothing.”

The polluted river has become a symbol of policy gaps — where projects exist on paper but fail to deliver outcomes on the ground.

Broken Footpaths, Neglected Gardens

Beyond environmental issues, everyday civic amenities are also fuelling voter frustration. Architect and former Congress corporator Sheetal Ashok Mhatre, who plans to contest the elections, criticised the poor condition of footpaths and public gardens.

“Tukaram Omble Garden on New Link Road was built at a cost of ₹4 crore in 2009. Today, it is in ruins,” she said, adding that repeated appeals to civic officials and elected representatives have yielded no action.

Activist Cassandra Nazreth highlighted the absence of pavements on several internal roads. “Vendors and parked vehicles occupy entire lanes. Pedestrians are forced to walk dangerously close to moving traffic,” she said. Despite years of campaigning, even basic signage near key flyovers remains missing.

Health Infrastructure and Daily Commutes

Healthcare access is another unresolved issue. Residents point out that the long-awaited second phase of the civic-run Bhagwati Hospital is yet to be inaugurated.

“The hospital and better connectivity to south Mumbai are critical for this ward,” said former Shiv Sena corporator Sheetal Mukesh Mhatre. “Most residents travel long distances daily for work, and public health facilities remain overstretched.”

Political Shifts Add to Uncertainty

The reservation of seats has also reshaped the political landscape. With certain wards now reserved, long-serving corporators are being forced to search for new constituencies. Former BJP corporator Harish Chheda has suggested introducing accountability measures, including punitive clauses for civic engineers who repeatedly redo the same works without lasting solutions.

As campaigning gathers pace, R North ward presents a clear message: voters are no longer swayed by slogans alone. Environmental protection, safe mobility, functional infrastructure, and accountable governance have become central to the civic debate.

In Dahisar and Borivli, the fight for the BMC is no longer just political — it is about reclaiming livability in one of Mumbai’s most rapidly changing regions.