Congress Demands Bifurcation of Mumbai L Ward After Man Dies in Sakinaka Manhole
Following the death of a 55-year-old man who fell into an open manhole in Sakinaka, the Congress party has revived its demand for the bifurcation of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) L Ward. On July 3, 2026, Congress group leader in the BMC, Ashraf Azmi, urged Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to immediately implement the long-pending proposal to split the massive ward into two independent administrative units.
The L Ward, which comprises the localities of Kurla, Sakinaka, Chandivali, and adjoining areas, is one of Mumbai’s largest administrative wards. It currently serves a population of nearly nine lakh residents spread across 16 electoral wards. Civic advocates and political leaders argue that the sheer size of the ward has strained the civic administration, leading to severe service delivery challenges.
Azmi stated that the recent fatal accident involving the 55-year-old man in Sakinaka exposed critical gaps in field-level supervision and monsoon preparedness within the ward. He cited several ongoing issues, including chronic waterlogging, inadequate nullah desilting, delayed civic works, and sluggish grievance redressal as key reasons why the bifurcation is urgently needed.
"A single administrative ward cannot efficiently serve such a vast population and geographical area," Azmi said. "The time has come to implement the long-pending bifurcation proposal to ensure faster, more accountable and efficient civic services." He urged Bhide to expedite the administrative process in the larger public interest.
Although a proposal to bifurcate the ward was considered during the previous municipal term to improve governance, it has remained pending. The BMC originally began restructuring its 24 wards in 2021 to facilitate better planning and improve basic services. While the P North and K East wards have successfully been split over the last two years, other restructuring plans remain delayed. This includes a proposed merger of three corporator wards from L Ward and two from M East into M West, leaving larger wards to grapple with planning challenges due to inadequate staff strength.
