1 week Ago By Chaitanya Marpakwar
Rahul Narwekar, the BJP MLA from Colaba, is seeking re-election, emphasizing his accomplishments as both MLA and Speaker. He highlights his accessibility, successful track record, and plans for Colaba's future, including securing 'state capital region' status. MUMBAI: Speaker Rahul Narwekar, the presiding officer of the assembly, dons the role of an umeedwar (candidate) as he travels from his official residence in Malabar Hill and enters the slum enclave of Shiv Shakti Nagar in Colaba constituency.
Narwekar, who is the sitting BJP MLA, is welcomed by dozens of people, mostly women, who garland him and raise slogans, asking him to lead as he enters the narrow bylanes on foot. His rath is kept on standby at the slum pocket's entrance. He is banking on his performance as MLA and speaker, as well as his accessibility, track record and the promise of getting Colaba the 'state capital region' status.
He says the latter will bring more funds, govt resources and administrative machinery, boost infrastructure, lead to better planning, and give Colaba the attention it deserves. One of the most economically and demographically diverse seats, Colaba is home to the super-rich, some big slum enclaves and fishing colonies. Redevelopment of slums, old and dilapidated buildings, especially on Mumbai Port Authority land and those affected by the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) is an issue affecting large parts.
Lack of parking spaces, traffic congestion and open spaces, and the problem of low water pressure are also dominant. "I have promised to get special development control rules for cluster redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings. Almost every building in this area is affected either by defence permissions or CRZ.
We will try to relax the condition of mandatory NOC from defence and CRZ for redevelopment in the next govt," Narwekar says. "My big-ticket plan is to get state capital region status for Colaba. We need more funds, manpower and special provisions to boost infrastructure.
Residents number 13 lakh and the floating population is 48 lakh. We will get this done in the next Mahayuti govt," he asserts. "Our govt has already reduced the premium for converting leasehold land to freehold land from 25% to 5%.
On the infrastructure front, MMRDA has launched the Colaba Nariman Point sea connector project to decongest Colaba and Cuffe Parade. We are taking up construction of five new underground reservoirs in Colaba to tackle the issue of low water pressure. With this, we won't have to depend on the Malabar Hill reservoir.
" He is pitted against Congress's Heera Devasi. In 2019, he defeated Congress's Bhai Jagtap by 16,195 votes. In the 2024 LS polls, Mahayuti had a lead of 9,732 votes in Colaba.
On his decision regarding Sena and NCP MLAs' disqualification, Narwekar says the people of Colaba take pride in his role as speaker. "My order stood the test of legal scrutiny, and, in fact, people appreciated my legal acumen and fair conduct as I didn't disqualify MLAs from either faction." Later in the day, balancing the diverse constituency, Narwekar carries out a padayatra in Fort Market, reaching out to traders and shopkeepers.
He then meets citizen groups and resident associations at Garware Club..
