Almost half of Miyawaki forests cost goes into maintenance

Over 40 per cent of all money spent in last two years has gone only for maintenance, raising questions about their long-term viability

An RTI reply has revealed that the maintenance cost of Miyawaki forests is too high for the BMC. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) spent Rs 10.6 crore to develop 26 Miyawaki forest plots in the eastern suburbs, and an additional Rs 6.59 crore for their maintenance for two years.

The maintenance cost excludes security charges. In December 2019, the standing committee of the BMC approved a proposal to appoint two contractors for Miyawaki plantations, one for the city and western suburbs and another for the eastern suburbs. According to the proposal, the BMC was ready to pay Rs 14,74,11,318  and Rs 20,69,24,647 respectively. So the total amount to be spent was Rs 35,43,35,965. Now it is clear that 40 per cent of the total amount was only for maintenance for two years and it is almost 70 per cent of the development cost.

As per the information received by activist Godfrey Pimenta through the RTI, the BMC developed 26 plots in the eastern suburbs in 2020 and spent R17.16 crore on them. Out of it R10. 57 crore was spent on the development of the gardens while an additional Rs 6.59 crore was spent on the maintenance for two years.  The development and maintenance cost was   calculated as per square metres. “They spent more than 50 per cent of the original cost on maintenance of trees in 24 months for the Miyawaki forests. We received information on the plots developed in eastern suburbs,” said Pimenta.

“The cost included testing of the soil, digging, manure, plants (saplings), transport of plants, loading and unloading them, their plantation, etc. in developing the forest, while watering and fencing (to secure plants from animals, visitors) for two years is included in maintenance cost,” said an official from the BMC’s Garden Department. He added that watering of plants is crucial as some plants don’t have direct supply of water and the cost was calculated per square metre of the plot. 

The BMC started developing Miyawaki forests after January 2020. The development time was around three months. The maintenance cost was for the next two years. So if the development of a plot completed in April 2020, the maintenance cost was up to April 2022. Another official said that the development, though the maintenance was high, was only for two to three years and then the maintenance cost comes down to zero as the plants grow upto 6 feet.

The concept of Miyawaki forests in Mumbai was introduced by former municipal commissioner Pravin Pardeshi to increase the tree cover in the space starved city. It is an afforestation technique for cultivating fast-growing groves of native plants, with the dense, mixed planting intended to simulate the layers of a natural forest.

Rs 6.59 cr
Maintenance for two years

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