As Mumbaikars voted in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections on January 15, voters in tony Breach Candy in South Mumbai, many of them in their 50s, 60s and 70s, turned up with decades of voting behind them and very clear expectations from the new Mumbai corporators.
They came with lived experience of how Mumbai has changed, and strong opinions on how it needs to be improved.
Manjul Dharia, who has been voting for over 40 years, says the focus has to be on everyday civic issues.
He says smoother traffic, better roads and quicker resolution of house society issues are what he expects from the BMC.
For him, voting is a family habit; everyone at home turns up on Election Day, without fail.
Traffic, especially around the Coastal Road, was also one of the main concerns for Sardar Khan.
He points out how a short stretch after the Coastal Road exit can take nearly 20 minutes to cross. According to him, an additional exit at Nepeansea Road would make life much easier for residents of Walkeshar and Nepeansea Road and prevent traffic congestion at Bhulabhai Desai Junction.
Having voted for nearly 50 years, Khan believes participating in elections in non-negotiable. He urges younger citizens to vote, calling it a basic right that should never be ignored.
For Shruti Parikh, who has been voting since her early 20s, the issue is not money, it is how the BMC spends it.
She believes the civic body has enough resources to transform Mumbai into a cleaner, more organised and more liveable city. Her biggest frustrations are street hawkers and the lack of proper parking.
With lanes constantly clogged by parked cars, she feels the Coastal Road should have been developed with dedicated parking spaces to prevent chaos on local roads.
Meanwhile, Apurva Zaveri hopes the upcoming government will focus on quality of life.
Better roads, cleaner surroundings and stronger safety for women and children are at the top of his wishlist.
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