“The ground floors open directly onto the road like native shops. In their lower and upper rooms, native women call to male passers-by,” says an unknown British missionary from the early 19th century about Kamathipura.
This yesteryear quote hints at the myriad facets of Ward 209, which represents the “red light district” of Mumbai. Named after Kamathis (workers) from Andhra Pradesh, who migrated to the city to find gainful employment, it is Asia’s biggest prostitution hub as well as an interesting battleground for the upcoming civic elections.
On Thursday, many residents took to the streets when Congress candidate Amin Patel, one of the richest contestants in the fray with a fortune worth Rs12.5 cr, campaigned on Kamathipura’s bylanes. The neighbourhood’s 3,000 dilapidated buildings are in urgent need of repairs, safe drinking water and sanitation.
The area also offers employment for about 200 women who make a living rolling beedis in difficult conditions. Most are over the age of 50 and suffer from serious health ailments. “If you support us, we will be with you all our life,” pleads one woman beedi worker with Patel.
As his caravan moves inside dimly lit brothels, Patel patiently listens to myriad complaints.
“They have been suffering for a long time,” sighs Patel. “I don’t have a comprehensive solution, but may be a better housing policy could salvage whatever is left.”
The BMC is trying to redevelop about 200 shops in the market through private participation. Out of 55,936 voters, about 15,000 are Muslims, 6,500 Telegus and the rest are Marathi and North Indians.
