Save my open spaces

In a space-crunched city like Mumbai, saving existing open spaces is a huge challenge. With more and more land getting grabbed for development, open spaces are a luxury. Encroachments increasing at breakneck speeds and the BMC's failure to curb them have added to the mess. The government's apathetic attitude towards maintaining and protecting open spaces, parks and recreational gardens in the city is no secret either.
Through associations or advanced locality management, citizens have been able to safeguard and revive the little plots of land in their respective neighbourhoods. Ironic, as these spaces are meant, reserved and built for the general public!

Here are some stories of Mumbaikars who have joined hands to protect spaces in their localities. Though it wasn't an easy task for them, their struggle was worth it.

Oval Maidan, Churchgate
The maidan had increasingly become a mess. Back then, there was no Nariman Point or New Cuffe Parade, and the area wasn't quite commercialised. With time, the number of offices in the city increased, and the ground started deteriorating due to lack of maintenance.

In 1997, the state government allowed citizens to form the OVAL Trust for the restoration and maintenance of the maidan, recalls Nayana Kathpalia, a Churchgate-based activist. The government's ill attitude towards the maidan led the Oval Cooperage Residents Association (OCRA) to push for the move.

To give this Grade I heritage (a 22-acre ground) a makeover, it cost around Rs1.30 crore in 1999. When the cleaning started, 350 truckloads of debris and garbage were removed to level the ground.

The results are there for everyone to see. "In the evenings, it is so nice to walk around this area. It is helpful to budding sportsmen as this ground gives them an opportunity to practise here," says Suzan Jake, a Churchgate resident.

Ramkrishna Dhote Hari Udyan, Mahim
Located in a prime area near Bombay Scottish School and Hinduja Hospital, this garden had, for the longest time, been in the eye of the proverbial storm. It is now being used by the school for the benefit of students, but this was not always the case. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) had turned a blind eye and the place was not just badly maintained, but also became a hangout for antisocial elements.

"Due to the careless attitude of the civic authorities, the plot was frequented by miscreants," remembers resident and activist Ashok Ravat. Then, under the caretaker's policy (where the maintenance of the garden is allotted by the ward to a third party) Kridangan Sangopan Samiti, a registered trust, started maintaining the Udyan and is still doing so. The Udyan is now frequented by school kids as well as other residents. "A few years ago, there was a major threat about building an underground parking at this place. People protested and it had to be cancelled," said Ravat.

Horniman Circle Garden, Fort
The historic Horniman Circle Garden has not always been as beautiful as it is now. A wasteland that had been taken over by antisocial elements, it could hardly be called a garden. At the request of the MCGM, the Tata Group of Companies restored it in the 1980s and maintained it for five years.

After this, the Horniman Circle Garden Trust, a public charitable trust, was created and is responsible for the upkeep of the garden. "The garden is not only a green space for the recreation of the public, but answers a social need," says trustee Shirin Bharucha. Listing the facilities available, she adds, "It has a toilet that is disabled-friendly, a lawn where kids can play on slides, swings and jungle gyms, a stage for public performances and a quiet corner where students can read in adequate light. In another lawn, where people are permitted to eat, there is a drinking water fountain providing cool water."

Maharashtra Nature Park, Sion-Bandra Link Road
The Maharashtra Nature Park (MNP) is a living example of how the "will to change" can create wonders. This park was once a dumping ground used by the MCGM to trash the city's garbage. In about two decades, this space has turned into a mini forest. With such transformation over the years, MNP is frequented by nature lovers and students who consider it a treasure trove of species.

"The park is now a 37-acre forest sprawling with flore and fauna. This green lung has around 582 recorded species of plants, 18,000 trees, 128 recorded birds, 84 butterflies, 37 reptiles and 30 spiders. Around 150,000 people visit this park in a year for educational purposes," says Avinash Kubal, director of MNP.

Adds Borivali resident Rahulratan Chauhan, "It's one of the best places to introduce young students and first-time trailers to nature. The short trails and open air auditorium here makes it a fun place for kids. The different types of butterflies that keep fluttering around make this park perfect. Also, it is quite extraordinary as it is built on a dump yard."

Facts:
-There's than 1.77 sq metres of open space per person in greater Mumbai, where the average population density is over 27,000 persons per sq km
-Only 6.5% of the city's land area is reserved for public open spaces. Factually, at a micro-level, several locations are privatised and only few of those who can afford it can access the open space
-The real accessible and usable public open space is less than 0.9 sq metres per person
-An estimated 37.3sq. km of mangroves, 10.68sq.km of salt pans, 13.35sq. km of marshy areas, 46.5sq. km of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, for a total of 107.83sq. km in the city are no-development zones.
- The above figures are from a survey by the Urban Design Research Institute