The Sion Koliwada Assembly constituency, established in 2008 (Constituency 179), covers areas such as Pratiksha Nagar, Barkat Ali Road, Bhakti Park, Antop Hill, and Sion Koliwada. With 2,81,299 electors, the seat is part of the Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha constituency. Since 2019, Captain R Tamil Selvan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has represented the constituency, but his performance has sparked increasing criticism ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
According to Praja Foundation’s 2024 Mumbai report card, Tamil Selvan ranked 15th among MLAs, a drop from his 2023 position at 12th. While his attendance remained stellar, ranked 1, his score on other parameters, including the number and quality of questions raised in the assembly, showed significant declines. His criminal record saw an improvement, rising from 22nd to 17th in the rankings. However, his overall score fell from 59.60% in 2023 to 58.88% in 2024, marking a disappointing tenure after two terms in office.
Manoj Jaiswal, a resident of Sion Koliwada, expressed dissatisfaction with the MLA’s performance. “There has been no clear change in the past 10 years. Basic issues like access to medical help remain unaddressed, with Sion Hospital being the only major facility, and it’s already overburdened,” he said. Despite pressing demands for the hospital’s expansion and local redevelopment, little progress has been made. Residents also face persistent water issues. “We wake up at 6am to fill water, but the supply is inadequate,” Jaiswal added. He criticised Selvan’s recent efforts to distribute taps to slum households, viewing it as an election-focused stunt.
Road conditions in the constituency also reflect broader neglect. “Roads are built with the lowest quality possible, and migrants’ problems remain unresolved,” Jaiswal noted, referring to the community of post-partition refugees who still lack permanent housing. Many have moved to other parts of the city due to lack of support.
Concerns over traffic management near four schools around the Mono Railway Line have also been raised, with chaotic conditions during school hours making it difficult for residents to navigate. Schools such as Guru Nanak College, Shri Sanstan Dharam High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and Little Angel’s International School contribute to the traffic problems.
One of the key frustrations for residents is the failure of slum redevelopment projects under the slum rehabilitation authority (SRA). For over 20 years, areas like Adarsh Gurukul and Nirmal Nagar have seen projects remain stagnant. Residents of Nirmal Nagar, in particular, have been waiting for over six years without receiving promised rent payments, with their situation further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ganesh Kumar Yadav, who ran against Selvan in 2019 and plans to contest again in the upcoming elections, voiced sharp criticism. “Tamil Selvan has not done any public work. Despite substantial MLA funds, no visible progress has been made. Slum rehabilitation projects are stuck, and 25 buildings in GTB Nagar’s Punjabi Colony have remained undeveloped since being demolished in 2021,” Yadav said. Residents are struggling with high rents and uncertain futures due to legal challenges facing these redevelopment projects.
Yadav also pointed out the unresolved encroachments on Panchashil Nagar, located above the Tansa pipeline, where a Supreme Court ruling prohibits construction within 10 meters of the pipeline. Despite these legal and infrastructural challenges, no major decisions have been made to provide alternative housing solutions for the area.
The lack of improvement in basic infrastructure, including schools, healthcare, and sports facilities, has fueled dissatisfaction with the incumbent MLA. “No good education or sports infrastructure is available for the lower and middle-income groups,” Yadav added. He emphasised the transit camps in Pratiksha Nagar, the largest of its kind, as another neglected issue, with residents feeling ignored by their elected representatives.
With the next assembly elections approaching, the sentiment of anti-incumbency is growing stronger. “He got elected by luck, but people are more aware now, and change is inevitable. After 10 years of failure, voters are very unhappy,” Yadav concluded.
