As Mumbai gears up for the BMC elections, the Ward 202 race<\/strong> in Sewri, Bhoiwada, and parts of Parel is emerging as a high-stakes battle. At the center of this contest is a longstanding problem: stalled Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects<\/strong>, which have left thousands of residents living in transit camps for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With 50,000 voters<\/strong>, over 78% Marathi-speaking, the ward has traditionally been a Shiv Sena (UBT) stronghold<\/strong>, but dissatisfaction over stalled redevelopment projects and alleged collusion with builders has shaken the political landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vijay Indulkar, a Sena (UBT) shakha pramukh<\/strong>, is contesting as an independent<\/strong> after being denied a ticket. Indulkar emphasized that his fight was not against the party<\/strong>, but against the candidate chosen for the ward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If I win, I will return to Sena (UBT) to show that grassroots workers with decades of service deserve a chance,”<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Claiming support from 95% of local party workers<\/strong>, Indulkar also highlighted how his campaigning is carried out by loyal Sainiks<\/strong>, while his rival, six-time corporator and former mayor Shraddha Jadhav<\/strong>, allegedly hires workers from outside, including MNS volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During a campaign visit to Chalisma Tower<\/strong>, a Parel SRA building, Indulkar reiterated that stalled redevelopment projects<\/strong> remain the biggest issue in the ward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indulkar accused local parties of being hand in glove with builders<\/strong>, leaving residents trapped in a cycle of empty promises and unfinished projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jadhav, contesting on the Sena (UBT) ticket, dismissed Indulkar\u2019s claims, asserting her long-standing relationship with voters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I canvass every day, and every house knows me and my work. I have been elected four times in this ward,”<\/em> she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jadhav also acknowledged civic issues, including water supply problems<\/strong> in several slum pockets like Vageshwari, Baradevi, Ganesh Nagar, and Sewri Market<\/strong>, which require additional water line connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Parth Bavkar<\/strong>, 29, the BJP\u2019s youngest candidate, is campaigning to connect with Gen-Z and younger voters<\/strong>, focusing on rehousing residents stuck in transit camps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Fifth-generation residents are still living in these camps. Their plight is heartbreaking,”<\/em> Bavkar said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlighting his ground-level experience<\/strong>, Bavkar noted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bavkar also criticized Jadhav\u2019s tenure, claiming, “If the six-time corporator had truly worked for the ward, the party wouldn\u2019t be split.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kamlesh Bansode, a fourth-generation resident of Bhoiwada Gaon<\/strong>, shared his frustration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Over 17 years have passed, but our redevelopment project hasn\u2019t moved. Every election brings empty promises. Political parties are clearly hand in glove with the builder lobby.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n His words underscore the long-standing grievances of the electorate<\/strong>, making SRA project delays<\/strong> the central issue of this election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ward 202\u2019s contest is more than just a battle between parties; it\u2019s a fight for accountability and redevelopment<\/strong>. Residents are seeking candidates who will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n With entrenched dissatisfaction, this Sewri election could reshape political loyalty<\/strong>, especially among Marathi-speaking voters frustrated by decades of inaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sewri poll battle shows how urban governance and stalled development projects<\/strong> can define local elections. Between a rebel Sena leader, a seasoned six-time corporator, and a young BJP candidate<\/strong>, the race is heating up as residents demand real change<\/strong>, not just election promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For voters, the election is a chance to hold politicians accountable<\/strong> and push for rehousing and redevelopment<\/strong>, ending decades of neglect in transit camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sewri Poll Battle Heats Up as Stalled SRA Projects Leave Residents in Transit Camps for Decades As Mumbai gears up for the BMC elections, the Ward 202 race in Sewri, Bhoiwada, and parts of Parel is emerging as a high-stakes battle. At the center of this contest is a longstanding problem: stalled Slum Rehabilitation Authority […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,1],"tags":[2179,2180,2182,2178,2181],"class_list":["post-4294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-uncategorized","tag-bhoiwada-transit-camps","tag-mumbai-slum-redevelopment","tag-mumbai-sra-projects","tag-sewri-bmc-elections","tag-shiv-sena-ubt-rebel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4294"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4296,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4294\/revisions\/4296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebombaydurpun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\nRebel Sena Candidate Enters the Fray<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSRA Projects and Transit Camps: The Core Issue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nShraddha Jadhav Pushes Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nBJP Enters the Picture: Young Candidate Targets Gen-Z Voters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nResidents Speak: Decades of Waiting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s at Stake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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