Lower Parel…the bustling heart of Mumbai. The neighbourhood which has seen maximum development in terms of residential, commercial and business establishments. Along with it came challenges of tremendous pressure on its infrastructure as well as hygiene.
The residents of Lower Parel, however, decided to do something about it. They all came together to bring issues of traffic, cleanliness, encroachment, and noise pollution, to the notice of the authorities. The residents joined hands with the Worli Residents Welfare Association (WRWA) to fulfill their goal of a better neighbourhood. Action committees were set up to tackle the above issues in a systematic manner. Weekly meetings to discuss future plans were held as well as periodic meetings with the police, traffic, municipal and urban development teams are held to ensure that the change is brought about for the better.
It starts with a small step
The residents of Raheja Atlantis Cooperative Housing Society have done some ground breaking work in terms of citizen initiatives. The burgeoning traffic bottlenecks on Ganpatrao Kadam Marg were causing school buses to be delayed, constant jams and angst amongst office goers. This was due to increased number of cars due to various business establishments located on that narrow road. The residents teamed up and visited the traffic authorities with a viable solution, requesting them to place road dividers along the road to avoid indiscriminate U-turns. This was a plan that worked well to a large extent. Their next project is to improve the pedestrian experience and make the sidewalks conducive to walking.
To begin with, with the support of WRWA, they adopted the sidewalk outside their lane. They had a cleanliness drive, beautification of the same along with planting of trees on January 8th, 2017. This event saw large participation from the residents of nearby towers, local residents and children. The idea was not just beautification, but to create awareness of neat and clean living and educate them about the evils of garbage dumping, etc., which lead to diseases and epidemics. The neighbourhood children enjoyed painting the wall and it give them an opportunity to get their creative juices flowing. In response to this enthusiasm, the residents plan to conduct community activities such as art and yoga classes.
Simultaneously on the same day, WRWA conducted a free medical camp in the local municipal school which was well-received by the neighbourhood. Free medicines and supplements were handed out. This event was backed by Wockhardt.
Some roadblocks
This path of preventing encroachment by hawkers as well as dumping of garbage by the locals has definitely not been a smooth one. There were cows being left on the sidewalk, where they not only defecated but left uneaten fodder, causing a large hygiene issue. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) along with the State veterinary department ensured that the cows were confiscated and the owner fined.
The residents of Lower Parel partnered with municipal authorities, in a major drive to get rid of the hawkers who did not hold valid licenses, plus also they were restricted to a certain space, not spilling onto the road. This has now led to cleaner footpaths and streets. The residents constantly take up the initiative to educate the locals on civic rules and cleanliness. In one such initiative, they have managed to create a bus stop zone for school buses, as they were otherwise parking on this already narrow road causing traffic bottlenecks. This two-birds-with-one-stone approach resulted in not only safety of the school going children, but also elimination of random squatters on free sidewalks.
The other pressing issue was that of noise pollution. The residents were horrified with the blatant flaunting of acceptable noise levels in the locality. Loudspeakers were blaring at unacceptable decibel levels way beyond the 10 p.m. deadline. The arrival of any festival sent shivers down the spines of the residents dreading what was in store for them as far as the aural experience was concerned. The residents met with senior officials in the N.M. Joshi police station and expressed their concerns over this growing menace despite appropriate Supreme Court rulings. Residents now contact a toll-free helpline and record their noise pollution grievances. Today, they have come a long way where not only does the neighbourhood respect one’s space but also the police authorities proactively follow up to ensure that the complaints are resolved to finality.
Conclusion
The residents of Lower Parel are definitely on a path to a better tomorrow. A number of buildings have taken up the initiative of garbage segregation. This will be a huge step towards a greener tomorrow. Buildings such as Raheja Atlantis are utilising their wet waste to produce their own organic compost. This compost is very beneficial in meeting the nutritional needs of their beautiful garden. They make as much as 100 kgs of compost already. They are also creating disposal avenues for e-waste as well as creating tie-ups with NGOs like GreenSole for productively utilising discarded shoes.
However, all this would not be possible without the cooperation of the locals. Lower Parel has a peculiar mix of the age old mill worker community who have been a part of the Lower Parel culture for decades, and the residents of the new ‘towers’ who are mostly from the corporate background. The growing disparity in their individual way of life, expectations as well as resistance to the transformation of the locality are concerns one has to watch out for. The authorities have extended a tremendous amount of support to all those who have been involved in bringing about this change. They have backed the citizen initiatives whole hearted to the extent that they can.
It is commendable how the tower residents have decided to take up projects by harmoniously working with the locals. In order to achieve long term solutions and ensure long term sustainability, it is important to have mutual participation and consent of all the stakeholders.
After a successful corporate stint of over 10 years, Leena Sabharwal took over a new role as a home maker post her two children. Ever since, she has been actively teaching patients at the Pediatric ward, Tata Memorial Hospital, and runs classes from home for pre-schoolers. Her hunger to leave a better world for children has prompted her to participate in various social and community activities, and one such has been to join the Advanced Locality Management programme.