Hello Mumbai City Desk
Santacruz West Ward 97 Seen as Key Seat for Shiv Sena (UBT); Mamta Balachavan Outlines Development Agenda
Mumbai:
Santacruz West’s Ward No. 97 is emerging as an important constituency for the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) in the upcoming civic elections. The party has fielded Mamta Balachavan, a first-time candidate and the daughter of former municipal corporators Balachavan and Geeta Balachavan, both of whom previously represented the ward.
Despite being a fresh face in electoral politics, Mamta Balachavan is actively campaigning and, according to party sources, is receiving support from various communities, including Muslim, Maharashtrian, Gujarati, and other residents of the area.
In an exclusive interview with Hello Mumbai News, Mamta Balachavan spoke about her vision for Ward 97 and addressed questions about her political background. “I am not new to the people of this ward. I come from a political family. My father, Balachavan, served as a municipal corporator from this ward on a Shiv Sena ticket, and my mother, Geeta Balachavan, also represented this ward as a corporator. Both of them carried out significant development work. The trust people had in them is reflected in the support I am receiving,” she said, expressing confidence about her prospects in the election.
Outlining her priorities, Mamta Balachavan identified issues related to Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes and redevelopment as her foremost concern. “Thousands of residents in this ward are still awaiting their homes under the SRA scheme. Redevelopment delays and housing issues remain among the biggest challenges in this area,” she stated.
She further highlighted the need to improve sewerage and drainage systems, as well as cleanliness in slum pockets such as Khotwadi, Shastri Nagar, and Daulat Nagar. “Improving sanitation and basic civic amenities in these areas will be addressed on a priority basis,” she added.
Road construction and maintenance were also listed among key issues affecting Santacruz West. Mamta Balachavan said these concerns would receive focused attention if she is elected.
Referring to the party’s roadmap, she noted that the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, under Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, has already released its manifesto, and assured that its commitments would be implemented seriously at the ward level.
As campaigning continues, Ward 97 is expected to witness a closely watched contest, with local development issues likely to play a decisive role in shaping voter preferences.
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