Residents of the stretch from Navjivan Society to Bellasis Road have once again put their faith in the Mehta family, which has been representing their ward for the last 45 years.
Congress candidate Noshir Mehta registered a thumping win with 12,030 votes with a victory margin of almost 10,000 votes. Be it Noshir, after his father Rusi’s death, or his sister Anahita, people have continued to support the Mehtas whole-heartedly.
The area, which was quite congested in 1967, was represented by a young Rusi Mehta — a prominent Parsi in those days. He served the area for 20 years until his death in 1987.
The Congress then gave a ticket to Noshir for the bye-polls. He won with the highest majority in 1987, and served the area for three terms till 2002, after which it was declared a women’s seat.
The party then called on Anahita, who had been looking after the welfare centre set up by the brother-sister duo in memory of their father. Anahita won the election and served the area for 10 years.
“My father tried to help whoever came to our doors. He always felt for the poor. We are trying to continue in his footsteps. At the welfare centre, we help the sick and those who need a good education,” said Anahita.
The Mehtas have always kept a low profile in media. “Our aim is to work towards providing better civic amenities to people rather than just talking about it,” she added.
Noshir said the increased development in his ward poses the biggest challenge. “So many new projects are coming up. The toughest bit is to ensure developers play fair and people are not taken for a ride,” he said. “The problem of choked drains is another major one. Earlier, most of them used to throw garbage just about anywhere, but now, after consistent pursuance, they are changing their habit. I appreciate that.”
