Mumbai’s M East ward remains trapped in filth, disease and broken promises
A choked drain, which is a breeding ground for diseases, in Baiganwadi
Baiganwadi, a densely populated settlement in M East ward, remains caught in a cycle of neglect, grappling with severe sanitation issues, health crises and crumbling infrastructure. A recent report, The Politics of Stagnation: Development at an Impasse in Baiganwadi, co-authored by Tarsh Verma and Saptaparna Samajdar, researchers from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), sheds light on these persistent challenges and urges authorities to take immediate action.
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Samajdar, 22, and Verma, 24, are first-year postgraduate students in Media and Cultural Studies at TISS. Verma hails from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, while Samajdar is from Barrackpore, West Bengal. Their research reveals that Baiganwadi’s battle is not just about infrastructure but about the fundamental right to live with dignity.
Saptaparna Samajdar (left) and Tarsh Verma, the co-authors of the report titled The Politics of Stagnation
A journey into past
During their research in 2024, the duo stumbled upon a 2012 video created by one of their professors as part of the M Ward Oral Histories Project. Titled Baiganwadi Sanitation Issue, the video highlighted the same problems that persist today. While the water supply has improved over the past decade, issues such as choked and overflowing drains, contaminated water, inadequate healthcare facilities, and environmental hazards remain unresolved.
“For Baiganwadi’s residents, the struggle for justice is far from over,” said Samajdar. “But through grassroots efforts, legal action, and increased public awareness, locals continue to fight for the recognition and development they have long been denied.”
Despite decades of adversity, Baiganwadi’s residents persist in their fight for basic rights. From self-driven sanitation efforts to legal battles against environmental hazards, their resilience remains unwavering. NGOs and activists, such as Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, continue their advocacy, using research and legal interventions to highlight the community’s plight.
Faiyaz Alam Shaikh
A history of marginalisation
The report details how Baiganwadi and neighbouring areas like Shivaji Nagar and Govandi have faced systematic neglect for decades. Originally developed in the 1970s as relocation sites for displaced slum dwellers, these areas were pushed to the margins—both geographically and administratively. Proximity to the Deonar dumping ground turned them into repositories for Mumbai’s waste, both literally and figuratively. Over the years, the predominantly migrant and Muslim population has been excluded from mainstream development efforts.
A 2012 video by TISS’s School of Media and Cultural Studies featured resident Akbar Ali Khan, who lamented that despite BMC ownership of local toilets, the burden of maintaining them fell on the community. Twelve years later, the conditions remain unchanged.
Everyday struggles
The researchers highlight how the stench of open drains permeates Baiganwadi, making it a breeding ground for diseases. Chronic illnesses such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dengue, and respiratory disorders are rampant.
“We interviewed many healthcare professionals in the area,” said Verma. “Dr Rehmat, a physician at Rahmania Charitable Trust Hospital, identified contaminated water, the Deonar dumping ground, and emissions from the SMS Envoclean Biomedical Waste Treatment Plant as health hazards,” he added.
While a government hospital was recently established, its inconsistent staffing makes it unreliable. The unregistered Rahmania Hospital, though a lifeline for the community, lacks government support. According to an RTI filed by the local NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society, M East ward records approximately 5000 tuberculosis cases annually, with nearly 1900 TB-related deaths since 2013.
Environmental hazard
While the Deonar dumping ground has long posed an environmental threat, the SMS Envoclean Biomedical Waste Treatment Plant has worsened conditions. Established in 2009 without environmental clearance or public consultation, the plant emits toxic gases that severely impact residents’ respiratory health. Despite legal petitions demanding its shutdown, the plant remains operational, and authorities have yet to finalise its relocation. “The NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society has actively campaigned for its removal, filing appeals with the high court and the National Green Tribunal,” the report states. Activist Faiyaz Shaikh criticised government inaction, “Despite assurances, no real steps have been taken to relocate the plant. Our people continue to suffer.”
Political manipulation
The report underscores how Baiganwadi’s political landscape is defined by strategic neglect. Although some improvements—such as piped water supply—have been made in the past decade, these are often leveraged during elections. Many residents fear that demanding further improvements might jeopardise the limited services they currently receive.
Baiganwadi is situated on collector’s land, meaning residents lack legal ownership of their homes. This precarious status weakens their ability to demand better living conditions, as the threat of eviction looms constantly. “Despite this, most houses have electricity meters, yet the bills explicitly state they cannot be used as proof of residence,” noted Samajdar.
Since 2022, the absence of civic elections has left the area under bureaucratic control, depriving residents of an elected representative to advocate for their needs.
Residents speak
Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, a Shivaji Nagar resident and president of the Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society, said, “Growing up in Shivaji Nagar and Govandi, we have realised that the area we live in is one of the most neglected in Mumbai. Hazardous projects are being set up in our vicinity—all of which pose serious health risks. We have been raising concerns, but neither the BMC nor the state government has given us a hearing,” Shaikh said.
Another resident, Ateeque Ahmed Khan, said, “If this report is exposing the same issues after more than a decade, shouldn’t the elected representatives and civic officials be held accountable? Why is our area still underdeveloped? Because it has always been ignored. The lack of education, a failing healthcare system, corruption, and the absence of basic necessities like clean water and sanitation continue to persist. There should be an audit of all development work undertaken in the past ten years, and the findings should be made public,” he demanded.
Khan further pointed out the poor state of healthcare infrastructure in the area.
“Eight years ago, a government hospital was inaugurated here with a budget of Rs 24 crore, yet it remains under-equipped. Emergency cases, and even C-sections, are still referred to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar or Sion Hospital. People here are living in inhumane conditions. We are already fighting multiple legal battles just to secure our basic rights, but financial constraints limit how much we can do.
Many in the community are growing weary of this endless struggle,” he said.
MLA Speaks
Abu Azmi, local MLA
“A lot of work has already been done. Over the years, my team and I have helped the public as much as possible. Today, most households have tap water, and toilet blocks have increased. However, slums keep expanding due to encroachments, and the government is doing little to stop it.
As a result, many problems are emerging. In some areas, houses are packed into narrow lanes, making it extremely difficult to provide essential facilities. Despite these challenges, we are doing our best. Many people are also trying to connect pipelines illegally, which often leads to sewer lines mixing with water supply, causing contamination. On top of that, the absence of civic elections has left residents without corporators to address their issues.”
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