FPJ MLA Audit: BJP Looks At Hattrick In Colaba Constituency While Rahul Narwekar Faces Challenges For Land Conversion

Colaba, the heart of South Mumbai with some of the most upscale localities, came under the stewardship of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the first time in 2014 after which the party is aspiring for a hattrick in the constituency in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls. As the party has laid its trust on Rahul Narwekar for the second time, the first-term MLA elected as the Speaker of the assembly has a huge challenge of clearing South Mumbai’s issue of land conversion.

Narwekar started his political career as the spokesperson of Shiv Sena’s youth wing but ended his 15-year-long stint with the party after being denied a chance to contest for the Lok Sabha elections. After an unsuccessful attempt in the 2014 Lok Sabha from the Maval constituency on Nationalist Congress Party’s ticket, Narwekar was later elected to the legislative council as an appointed member.

After multiple failures, Narwekar joined the BJP in 2019 and got elected as the member of legislative assembly from Colaba. Narvekar’s first attempt to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha resulted positive for him as he defeated Indian National Congress’ two-time MLC and one-time MLA Ashok ‘Bhai’ Jagtap by garnering 57,420 votes against Jagtap who received 41,225 votes.

After the Mahayuti coalition formed its government by proving its majority in the assembly, Narwekar was elected as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha, thereby becoming the youngest speaker of any state legislature in india. 

Coming from a family background of active mainstream politics, Narwekar’s father Suresh Narwekar was a municipal councillor from his current legislative constituency whereas his brother Makarand Narwekar has also been a two-term municipal councillor from Colaba’s ward number 227.  His sister-in-law Harshita Narwekar is also a municipal councillor from Cuffe Parade whereas his father-in-law Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar is a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar).

According to Praja Foundation’s MLA Report Card, Narwekar ranked 31st among Mumbai’s 36 MLAs for his attendance in the legislature, 25th for the number and quality of questions and 24th for the criminal cases pending against him. His overall rank in 2022 was 29th before he was elected as the Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly.

Talking to The Free Press Journal, Narwekar said that he has been vigilant in preventing new slum growth claiming that only 80 new slums have come up in Cuffe Parade in the last five years compared to thousands in previous years. However, he assured that Cuffe Parade will become slum free in the next five years. He said that he wants to work on his dream project of getting a connector between Colaba, Cuffe Parade and Nariman Point to ease traffic and allow access to Nariman Point and Coastal Road in less than five minutes.

“Colaba is one of the most complex constituencies in the country. This constituency has industrialists and professionals staying in high-rise and at the same time it has huge slums and chawls. You have to cater to the demand of different sections where the need of one is the displeasure of others. It is a tight ropewalk as you have to take everyone into confidence try and justify your actions,” he said.

Like the rest of Mumbai, some of the most upscale localities of the city in the Colaba constituency are facing issues related to redevelopment. Since a major chunk of the land in Churchgate, Cuffe Parade and Marine Drive is owned by the collector and is leased out to the tenants, the locals want the land to be converted from collector’s land to freehold land. Although conversion attempts have been carried out in the past, the locals are not ready to pay a premium of 25% of the Ready Reckoner Rate.

Ashok Gupta, vice president of Marine Drive Residents Association, said, “Rahul has a WhatsApp group where we share our issues and his team starts working on it. Whether its an issue related to the BMC or the Traffic department, he tries his best to solve all of them. He is always open to communication with the residents and meets us at Vidhan Bhavan regularly. He has also stood by our side for our demand of occupancy conversion and has tried to finalise the premium at 2%.”

While the entire city faces the issue of political hoardings pulled up in public places, Colaba hasn’t been spared either as huge hoardings portraying Narwekar’s pictures are often criticised by locals. Notably, the Colaba residents expect better from their educated legislator as the constituency is home to art deco buildings and vintage architecture.

Atul Kumar, founder of Art Deco and president of Churchgate Nariman Points Residents Association, said, “Rahul has a sensitivity towards heritage and therefore its easy to negotiate conversations with him when it is about these heritage buildings. It is unfortunate and shameful to see such hoardings distorting the beautiful view of art deco buildings but this violation is seen all across the city. While occupancy conversion is a big issue that occupies everybody’s mind, he should ensure that the heritage is maintained since the identity of Mumbai emanates from here.”

Suneel M Bhatnagar, past honorary secretary of Nariman Point Churchgate Citizens Association (NPCCA), said that although one of the most upscale locality of the city is also dealing with issues related to footpaths, encroachments and parking but the bigger issue in sustainability. He said that while reports suggest that multiple parts of South Mumbai including Nariman Point and Marine Drive will submerge by 2050, the legislator should focus on these issues which are coming their way.

“MLAs are only looking at issues that they can accomplish within their own term and are ignoring other issues lying in the future. Increasing greenery, recharging ground water and increasing terrace greenery should be focused upon. Narvekar’s performance was very impressive initially but lately he has not been much accessible. Although I feel that he is more active than many other MLAs in the city, but the rate of fulfilling promises made by him is reducing,” said Bhatnagar.