Potholed roads have turned north ward into a traffic nightmare

A motorist deftly manoeuvres his vehicle to avoid a pit at Mahavir junction in Kandivli West, as another pothole on the same stretch turns into a culvert. Pics/Suresh Karkera

The ward is a microcosm of Mumbai - slum settlements vie for space with skyscrapers, public transport infrastructure is a mess and roads are fraught with risks. Half of Western Railway's (WR) trains - some 700 - run to and from Borivli. Even a Metro corridor is in the works. Yet, these are not enough for the growing suburbs. Since a large belt of the Western Express Highway (WEH) falls within this ward, the real estate market has seen an unprecedented and unplanned growth in recent times. Rocky roads: The roads of this ward have earned much notoriety - they are repaired repeatedly, but come undone soon after. The WEH, connecting arterial roads, Link Road and Swami Vivekanand Road are pockmarked with potholes. Not only are substandard material used in laying them, they are also poorly maintained.

Potholes dot Datta Pada Road in Borivli East

Choked corners: The downside of rapid growth has begun to show. Be it trains, autorickshaws or BEST buses, everything is jampacked at most hours of the day. The ward is also a favourite with real estate developers, especially areas in close proximity of the WEH. Hoardings of new realty projects stand as tall as the multi-storey buildings they promote. The planned Dahisar-Andheri Metro line has also given a fillip to the realty market. Officials claim that this corridor will ease congestion, but it has already prompted unplanned growth of real estate, with skyscrapers at spitting distance of each other.

Slums mushroom near Akurli Road junction in Kandivli East

Another flip side of the rapid growth: the ward generates 225 tonnes of garbage every day.

Poor planning: The class dichotomy in the ward is stark clear. Some 4 lakh slumdwellers have encroached upon large tracts of land in Bandongri, Poisar, Samata Nagar, Wadarpada, Gautam Nagar and even the WEH. Many of these slums have come up on mudslip-prone spots on hills. Skyscrapers, too, flout rules of construction and sustainable growth. These areas also get waterlogged during the monsoon.

At several locations in Kandivli West, especially Charkop and Poisar, are poorly planned government row houses. Officials admit that if a disaster were to strike, the narrow lanes would obstruct the entry of fire engines. Even market areas are cramped and offer little space for the smooth flow of traffic.