mid-day Garden Audit: Now, you can plan your own garden!

In novel pilot project, BMC will seek suggestions and inputs from citizens before redeveloping 55 gardens in desperate need of a revamp

If you've ever been frustrated by how much the BMC spends on beautifying gardens, only to ruin them, here's your chance to prevent that. Just weeks after mid-day completed its garden audit series, highlighting readers' complaints about the state of the city's parks, the civic body is now considering inviting inputs from citizens on how best to improve these green spaces.

Ironically, one of the biggest complaints that Mumbaikars have had about our parks is that there just isn't enough greenery. In a city that is often referred to as a concrete jungle, each and every green pocket is precious, and yet, over the past few years, the BMC has spent more on concretising gardens than on beautifying it with more plants. Instead of building amphitheatres or concrete flower beds or walkways, the civic body now intends to focus more on horticulture in upcoming projects. Henceforth, the gate, compound wall and toilets will be the only concrete structures in a garden, said civic sources.

At the Horniman Circle Garden at Fort

The BMC is all ears
This isn't the only feedback from citizens that the authorities are interested in. The Corporation is planning a new initiative under which suggestions will be invited from the common man for the redevelopment of gardens. Civic officials said that they will pick 55 gardens in need of a revamp and put up notice boards outside the gates asking citizens for ideas.

The initiative will only feature parks that are in dire need of restoration, and the BMC will start work after the monsoon. Officials are likely to finalise the details of the initiative in a month's time, after which the process will begin. Citizens will be given a few weeks to submit their suggestions. Ideas that are feasible will be included in the work tenders. Kishor Kshirsagar, deputy municipal commissioner (Gardens), said, "We have received several suggestions on how to beautify the gardens. We have now thought of including citizens' suggestions in the tenders for redevelopment of gardens."

Hemant Karkare Udayan at Jogeshwari East, even the children’s play area is covered with hard concrete

Activistspeak
This is a welcome change for citizens, who have long been left out of the process, resulting in massive waste of taxpayers' money and poor results. Activist Sunish Subramanian from PAWS (Plants and Animal Welfare Society), said, "There is zero participation of citizens when it comes to beautification or revamp of gardens in their area. We are not asking for any special effort; the authorities should at least ask citizens for their suggestions before planning such projects." There are more than 1,039 open spaces across the city, and every year the BMC spends crores on their maintenance and beautification. This year, the civic body has allocated R243 crore for gardens.

30
No. of days until the initiative begins

55
No. of gardens under the initiative

Rs 243 cr
This year’s budget for gardens

Too much concrete
Over the years the BMC has been accused of carrying out unnecessary concrete work in gardens, such as constructing amphitheatres, concrete plant beds and pathways. In most cases, officials spend more on concrete work than on greenery. mid-day had reported last year how the BMC spent R2.5 crore on the beautification of Hooper Garden in Matunga, but had somehow forgotten to add plants. At Five Gardens in Dadar, the civic body spent R5 crore on a revamp, but only set R20 lakh aside for horticulture.

Also read: mid-day garden audit: It's time for Mumbai to save its parks

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