Mumbai: We are not kachra, say Deonar-Govandi residents

The street near Kamla Raman Nagar, which has, over the years, acquired the name Kachra Depot Road. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Deonar and Govandi residents have urged the authorities to rename Kachra Depot Road, also referred to as Dumping Road, a thoroughfare that has long been a navigational landmark for autorickshaw drivers and commuters. For locals, especially youngsters, the name has become a constant source of embarrassment, with residents arguing that it reduces their identity to garbage.

After disembarking at Mankhurd railway station, commuters looking for directions to Kamala Raman Nagar or Nirankari Nagar often draw blank stares from auto drivers. But a single mention of "Kachra Depot Road" or "Dumping Road" instantly gets them pointed in the right direction.

Calling the name "derogatory" and "unfair," residents have written to the urban development department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), urging an official name change. They say the label has become a punchline, inviting mockery and discrimination from outsiders.

The appeal, sent via email on April 8 by the Govandi Citizens Welfare Forum (GCWF), a civic organisation dedicated to the welfare and dignity of residents in M East ward, highlights the psychological, social and developmental damage caused by the unofficial label, which appears on Google Maps.

‘Not in records'

According to the GCWF, the road in question is located near Kamla Raman Nagar and Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society and does not feature any officially recorded name in BMC's records. However, due to its proximity to the Deonar dumping ground, the road has been auto-labelled Kachra Depot Road by Google Maps and other digital platforms. The group argues that such stigmatising nomenclature directly violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to live with dignity.

The street near Kamla Raman Nagar, which has acquired the name Kachra Depot Road. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

In the letter, GCWF calls upon the municipal commissioner, who currently serves as the BMC's administrator, to initiate the official naming of the road and to adopt a name that reflects the cultural and social identity of the community. They have proposed three alternatives for consideration: Sangam Society Road, Kamla Raman Nagar Road and Haji Niyaz Ahmed Azmi Marg. The last of these suggestions is intended to honour Haji Niyaz Ahmed Azmi, father of the current MLA of Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Abu Asim Azmi, whose contributions to the development of the area are widely acknowledged, according to the letter.

The GCWF has also requested that once the new name is approved, the authorities should immediately inform Google Maps and other digital platforms to update their listings in accordance with the official nomenclature. The organisation has also urged the BMC to conduct a thorough survey of all unnamed roads in the M East ward to ensure that no future labelling decisions result in defamatory or unofficial names.

Signature campaign launched

The community continues to gather signatures and support for their cause. "People don't say, ‘He lives in Govandi Nirankar Nagar' or ‘She's from Deonar.' They say, ‘Oh, they live on Kachra Depot Road and laugh. It is so insulting and disrespectful. Initially, we thought this was an unofficial name that shows up on Google Maps only but we found it on a list of BMC dispensaries, too. It hurts our dignity," said Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, a Shivaji Nagar resident and president of the NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society.

He added, "This is not just a name change - it's a fight for dignity, for equal treatment, and for a future where the next generation does not grow up under the shadow of a garbage label. We urge the urban development department to support and approve the municipal commissioner's action at the earliest, in the interest of public dignity, social justice and equitable urban development."

The stretch as depicted on Google Maps

Locals argue that the current road name reinforces negative stereotypes, especially in a part of the city already grappling with poor infrastructure, limited development and environmental hazards due to its proximity to the dumping ground.

"With the garbage dumping ground and a bio-medical waste treatment facility located in our neighbourhood, we've been relentlessly trying to get the government to address the serious issues we face. Despite all this, we're working hard to bring about change through education and awareness. But naming a road in a way that associates us with this waste should not define who we are, we are not kachra," said Ghulam Gaus, an IT engineer and local resident.

He added, "Govandi, Deonar has long been labelled as a backward area. There was a time when just our address meant we couldn't get a SIM card or even a pizza delivered. But our lives are so much more than the waste Mumbai sends here."

The list of BMC dispensaries where the stretch is mentioned as Kachra Depot Road

Another resident, Shamshuddin Shaikh, a student, said, "Even while booking a cab, the name that shows up is Kachra Depot Road. I think once the BMC updates the name, it will eventually get corrected across online platforms too. I don't want to give an address that includes something like Kachra Depot Road."

Situation is unfair: MLA

Speaking on the issue of road naming and the process of changing it, Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi and former corporator of Govandi, explained, "All these procedures are governed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act. According to it, a councillor or corporator can move a proposal to change the name of a road before the civic works committee either in the city or suburbs. This is then tabled before the general body and a resolution is passed. However, since we currently do not have elected councillors, the administrator has the authority to pass such a resolution."

Ghulam Gaus, IT engineer and resident

He added, "Yes, this situation is unfair, but it doesn't violate any constitutional rights. As far as I know, the official name of the road is Kamala Raman Nagar Road. Names like Dumping Road or Kachra Depot Road may have become popular colloquially and got stuck over time, but if they are being used in official records or platforms, it should be rectified."

BMC Speak

Ujwal Ingole, assistant municipal commissioner, M East ward, said, "I have no idea about this issue. Residents have not approached me about this. But if they have written to the municipal commissioner/administrator this will be looked into. It seems like people have been unofficially calling the stretch Kachra Depot Road and the name has stuck. Residents can always make suggestions and get an official name; there is a procedure for that."