Sushmita Bhattacharya and Mohammad Siraj

A former principal is taking on a former student leader in Sunday’s municipal by-election in the heart of the city but few residents of the ward — the smallest in terms of population — are aware of their weekend date with the indelible ink.

The death of Trinamul councillor Ajit Panja last November forced the bypoll in ward 63, comprising Shakespeare Sarani, Park Street, Camac Street, Hungerford Street and Loudon Street.

The party has fielded Sushmita Bhattacharya, a former principal of Don Bosco, Pratt Memorial and St Thomas School, against the CPM’s Mohammad Siraj, an advocate and former leader of the party’s student wing.

Both are running for public office for the first time.

The total number of voters in the ward is 21,000. Less than half the names on the voters’ list turned up at the booths in the last few municipal elections and the turnout is unlikely to improve this time.

Most of the residents Metro spoke to did not know that there was an election on Sunday. Many residents of the housing estates in the posh localities did not know the names of even one candidate.

Traditionally, the ward, home to both the well-heeled and the economically weak, has been non-Left.

No CPM candidate has won a municipal election here in the past 25 years.

“The ward has been neglected for a long time. If elected, I hope to address the basic problems,” said Siraj.

Bhattacharya promised to complete Ajit Panja’s “dream projects” and focus on schools, water and drainage projects.

Traders who live and work in the area spoke out against “frequent” excavation of roads by administrative agencies and “inordinate delay” in restoring them.

“I have been running a garment shop here for 25 years. Customers avoid the area because of the poor road condition. CESC often digs up the road and does not bother to restore it. I hope the new councillor will take care of this,” said Ashok Vajpayee of 1B Tottee Lane.

“The civic body only seems to be interested in squeezing money from the traders and house-owners and allowing hawkers and encroachers to break the law,” said a trader on Park Street.

Those from the lower income groups, predominantly minorities, complained about low water pressure, waterlogging, lack of healthcare facilities and poor conservancy services.

“We have been living in the ward for over a decade and the water supply has not improved. Water is supplied for only 10 minutes and is unfit for use,” said Farzana Hussain, a resident of Collins Lane.

“We get up at 4am every day to collect water from the tap. Even then we have to buy water,” said Tara Khatoon, one of Farzana’s neighbours.