Finally,Things Are Greener This Side Too

In a city starved of open spaces,travelling long distances for a Sunday morning at the Hanging Gardens of Malabar Hill or the Borivali National Park may have been the unhappy norm,but not any longer.

In a city starved of open spaces,travelling long distances for a Sunday morning at the Hanging Gardens of Malabar Hill or the Borivali National Park may have been the unhappy norm,but not any longer. Gradually,thanks to some low-key initiatives by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,Mumbaikars are finding small oases of green closer to home than ever before. In the mostly concrete and tarpaulin Mumbai landscape,these newly protected spaces are refreshing brush strokes of a rich green.

For Bandra resident Shefali Zaveri,the Nandadeep garden recently developed by the BMC has been a huge respite from malls and multiplexes. Come Saturday,Sunday or a free weekday,my children Ayesha and Aman demand trips to malls and videogame parlours. But with the opening of this garden they have started enjoying outdoor games like badminton. In fact many children from our society go and play at the garden every evening, Zaveri says. In the heart of the busy Kalanagar junction,the Nandadeep garden developed by the BMC at a cost of Rs.4.5 crore is quite popular. Spread over 5,000 square metres,the garden has a green lawn thats 2,000 square metres large as well as other facilities like a jogging track,a water fountain with lighting,well maintained toilets and adequate seating. On an average,500 people visit the garden everyday.

R. A. Rajeev,additional municipal commissioner,says the administration felt the acute shortage of recreational open spaces. As compared to other big and populous cities of India,Mumbai has fewer green spaces. That is why we developed 84 barren plots of land into gardens,recreational parks and playgrounds on a priority basis. Even a small garden on a traffic island on a busy road can be a treat for sore eyes, Rajeev said.

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At Lok Bharti residential complex in Andheri east,the newly developed garden used to be an unused,barren plot of land for the residents of its 200 flats. Resident Elton Andrade (13) would rarely go to his balcony that overlooked the dump. I not only get a good view of the green lawns from my house now but also get to play football every evening on the grass, Elton said. The 2,589 square meter plot was being used as a garbage dump before BMC turned it into a garden this May.

Apart from these,the BMC has also created gardens with themes and unique facilities. The Zen Garden near Borivali station is based on the Buddhist theme and has specially designed facilities for meditation. The concept of Zen gardens is influenced by Zen Buddhism. It has rock structures where people can sit and meditate, says Laxman Wani,BMC superintendent of gardens.

On the Marol Maroshi road,the Bharatvan garden spread across 18,892 square metres attracts thousands of people everyday. The garden was recently redeveloped by MHADA along with the BMC. Its dancing musical fountain show is the first of its kind in Mumbai. An amphitheatre that can seat around 200 people overlooks the laser light fountain show that takes place daily at 7:30 pm. Other facilities include a nana-nani park for the elderly,botanical garden,jogging track and a yoga center. Sixty two-year-old Gurmukh Singh had to go all the way to Powai lake earlier for a jog. With the redevelopment of this garden the jogging track has been of the greatest advantage to me. I jog in the morning and come for a walk in the evening and then sit on the benches under the trees for a while, Singh says.

Mulund resident Priya Bhanushali who stays near R-Mall,says the new garden near her place has enhanced her reading habits. Evenings in a garden with a good book are just perfect. A green open public space in a congested city like Mumbai not only adds beauty to the city but also induces many good things in the lives of its citizens, Bhanushali says.

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Finally,Things Are Greener This Side Too

In a city starved of open spaces,travelling long distances for a Sunday morning at the Hanging Gardens of Malabar Hill or the Borivali National Park may have been the unhappy norm,but not any longer.

In a city starved of open spaces,travelling long distances for a Sunday morning at the Hanging Gardens of Malabar Hill or the Borivali National Park may have been the unhappy norm,but not any longer.