The Ulwe Node Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Sector 6, built by CIDCO to handle sewage from nearby housing societies, has been facing serious problems. Currently, only 10% of the plant is working, and most operations have been shut down for years. This has caused nearby housing complexes to suffer from bad smells, an increase in mosquitoes, and more cases of diseases like dengue and malaria.

Local residents have complained for the past five months, reaching out to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for help. Despite MNS visiting the plant and asking CIDCO to fix the problems, nothing significant was done, frustrating the community even more.

Due to the pressure from local villagers and Ulwe residents, the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has now stepped in. The MPCB has ordered CIDCO to take immediate action against the contractor responsible for mismanaging the plant. Leaders from the MNS, including Raigad District President Sandesh Thakur, have been following up on the issue with both CIDCO and MPCB.

On August 13, MNS formally complained to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board about the plant’s poor operations. Now, residents of Ulwe Node are keeping a close watch to make sure CIDCO fixes the plant and holds the contractor accountable. The involvement of the Pollution Control Board and the ongoing efforts of MNS are expected to lead to improvements in the plant’s operations and better living conditions for the affected residents.

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal of Sector 17, Vashi is celebrating its 40th year of Ganesh Utsav with the grand display of ‘Navsala Pavnara Maharaja,’ the biggest and most famous Ganesh idol in the area. This year, the main attraction is the stunning pandal, a replica of the Mysore Palace. Built by 40 artisans over a month, the huge 45×60-foot structure is drawing thousands of devotees every day.

The 13-foot idol of Navsala Pavnara Maharaja, affectionately called ‘Gajaraja,’ is portrayed in a royal ‘Raja’ pose, which has captivated the local community. Many devotees believe that their wishes have been granted by the Maharaja and have made offerings in gratitude. Sampat Shewale, President of the Mandal, shared that this year the Maharaja received several pieces of gold jewellery, including a golden Mukut (crown), a garland, armlets, and a waistband. One devotee even offered a 5 kg silver mace after his wish was fulfilled.

Besides the religious celebrations, the mandal is also dedicated to social welfare. They have conducted health camps for devotees during the festival and adopted 51 underprivileged students from Adivasi Taluka, providing them with education and medical support throughout the year. They also help students in need within the Vashi area.

During the festival the pandal regularly includes prayers, aartis, women’s bhajan sessions, and prasad distribution. A grand Satyanarayan Mahapooja was held on Sunday evening, adding to the spiritual atmosphere of the celebration.

With CIDCO’s focus on VIP luxury housing, struggles for common citizens are foreseen.

The Criticism

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), once recognised for providing affordable housing in Navi Mumbai, is now facing criticism for focusing on luxury housing projects. CIDCO is reportedly spending a huge amount on a high-end housing complex on Palm Beach Road in Belapur, specifically designed for MLAs, MPs, and senior officials. The project’s cost includes Rs. 28 crores just for consultancy services.

Critics argue that CIDCO, which acquired land at discounted rates meant for affordable housing, prioritises luxury projects over common citizens’ needs. The planned housing complex will include around 550 luxury residences, while many ordinary people, including project victims, are still waiting for their promised 12.5% compensation even after 50-60 years.

Gajanan Kale, Chairman of the CIDCO Rights Redressal Committee, has been vocal about these issues. He claims that housing complexes built by CIDCO in areas like Taloja, Kharghar, and Dronagiri are of poor quality and deteriorate quickly due to corruption and mismanagement. Kale also highlighted a case where CIDCO paid nearly Rs. 800 crores to a private company for housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, but many CIDCO homes remain unsold.

Kale warned that if CIDCO does not reconsider its Rs. 28 crore consultancy hire, he will organize an exhibition to expose the flaws in CIDCO’s housing projects. He hopes this will draw attention to the corporation’s focus on luxury developments and prompt CIDCO to prioritize the needs of ordinary citizens instead.