High-rises rub shoulders with crowded shops in G-South ward

Don't let G-South ward's high-rises fool you. The ward typifies the two worlds the city straddles - the fast-changing skyline comprising posh residential and commercial localities of Worli, Prabhadevi and Mahalaxmi, and the middle-class roots of Parel, Lalbaug, BDD Chawl and Worli gaothan. But scratch the veneer of 'sophistication' and you'll hit a raw nerve - unchecked real estate development, rising pollution, choc-a-block traffic, dug-up roads, open gutters and encroachments.

Roads in Parel and Worli are often dug up, and tend to stay that way for long. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

Main issues:
Rampant construction: Parel and its surrounding areas are seeing a rapid commercial growth, with one multi-storey building trying to overshadow another. But residents complain that adequate safety measures are not taken at all construction sites, leaving motorists and pedestrians at risk. With every new commercial venture vying for space in this space-starved ward, there is barely any breathing room left.

Rocky road: Roads in Parel and Worli are often dug up, and tend to stay that way for long. Commuters complain that traffic diversions made in such cases are poorly thought-out and a nightmare; even taxi drivers rue taking longer routes due to road works. Although many roads taken up for repairs are made one-way, often, motorists flout the rules, adding to the congestion and the confusion. Locals allege that barriers are seldom put around roads being redeveloped.

Open Drains: Several drains in the ward are left open, throwing up health hazards and a rat infestation. Manholes are either left uncovered or have uneven lids that barely do the job. Residents complaint that rats scurry out of such drains into houses and shops beside roads.