Besides colonies like Shiv Shrushti Nagar, Nehru Nagar, which house the middle class and business community, the rest of Kurla comprises of illegal structures. A walk around this central suburb leaves one wondering what is the role of BMC over here. Vehicles parked onboth sides of the road with the rest of the space occupied by garbage, with potholes dug up every two metres by MTNL or BSES.

The list of problems here is endless. However, quite a few problems are a result of the bureaucracy. The unanimous sentiment lays the blame squarely on the doors of the civic authorities. It is due to their negligence that the situation has become almost irreversible. For instance, encroachment. Once illegal structures come up in a place, they are known to stay there forever. Plots this side of the city, which were vacant not very long ago, are being encroached upon swiftly. And then every monsoon, there's slush everywhere which stays much after the season's over.

Another problem that has been afflicting Kurla (E) is that of a vacant plot at Alidada Estate. The plot located behind the bus depot near Kurla Station is a stagnating example of lethargic authorities. The plot acquired by the BMC to construct a market in 1988 has been lying unattended and vacant since. According toofficial sources, the plot was acquired by the civic body from a private party in 1988 at a cost of Rs 33 lakh. Proximity to the railway station and bus depot made it an ideal spot for a market. However, due to lack of funds the BMC has not been able to do that. Considering the alarming rate at which new hutments have been coming up in Kurla each day, the least the BMC could do is demarcate the plot's boundary or erect an official board -- in the absence of both, a major portion of the property has been occupied by shanties.

"The BMC should have taken cue from Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in the vicinity -- a slum which grew gradually enough to cheat authorities. The Alidad Estate plot being marshy, encroachment here is not possible without reclaiming it. Sarcastically says Zahoor Mohammed, a resident of Kurla: "The slums are capable of reclaiming the land but the BMC is not." The portion of land, which has not been encroached is used by the neighbouring slums as a dumping yard. Due to absence of proper access route,BMC trucks cannot come to pick up garbage heaps lying here. All this has resulted in water clogging in the neighbouring slums. Earlier, drainage water from the slums in the vicinity used to flow from the plot to the adjoining nullahs. Due to encroachment and garbage, the drain outlets are clogged and the locality is perennially full of sewage water.

The councillor of the ward, Rajendra Lad, says: "I take up the issue of demarcation and demolition of these slums in every meeting. Several officers have come here, but nothing has been done." Lad suggests that the debris lying at Nehru Nagar could be used to develop the marshy plot. "I am ready to bear the cost of transportation of debris from Nehru Nagar to the site. I also want to take up Advanced Locality Management (ALM) in Nehru Nagar, which cannot be undertaken till the debris is removed," he adds. The cost of transportation is estimated to be around Rs 40,000.

The councillor suggested that the BMC should construct the boundary wall after demolition ofshanties on the encroached area and he will take care of the rest. But, are things as easy as they seem? The market officials on being contacted clarified that it was the job of the Ward Officer to maintain the land.

The Ward Officer of L-Ward, Suresh Kothari, on being confronted, refused to comment on the issue. He said: "I will not comment on any issue. Get me an authority letter from my superiors, only then will I discuss it."