Bandra residents have written to the BMC demanding removal of concrete structures from the Fort Garden bandstand

Mumbai: Citizens of Mumbai have written a letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation amid ongoing opposition to the concretization and reduction of greenery in the Bandra Fort garden, built in the 17th century.

Alleging that the new garden has not been designed in an eco-friendly manner which will lead to higher temperatures in the area, citizens have asked the BMC to remove the concrete surfaces and restore the garden to its former glory by adding more greenery.

The BMC opened the Bandra Fort garden earlier this month after keeping it closed for renovation for nearly two years. However, Bandra locals and other Mumbaikars have started raising questions over the defacement of the heritage site.

Bandra residents urge BMC to restore greenery and remove concrete structures from Fort Garden bandstand | Photo file

While local residents called on the authorities to destroy the heritage element, citizens and environmental activists expressed disagreement with the specification of the garden.

On Tuesday, citizens wrote a letter to the BMC commissioner and H/West ward, listing their observations and demands to preserve the old heritage feel of the garden. The letter, signed by about 80 citizens, states that the lawn near the embankment has been replaced with concrete slabs and there is no shade on the embankment.

It also said that the lotus pond had been removed, the bushy area next to the amphitheater stage had been replaced with a concrete structure and the hedges had been replaced with concrete and basalt walls, adding to the heat.

“All of these changes contribute significantly to the heat in the garden. This ‘refurbishment’ of our existing green spaces by unnecessary uprooting and replacement of plants, replacement of floor tiles and concreting of large areas, costing a whopping 18.23 crores of taxpayers’ money, is completely unnecessary and a pure waste and misuse of funds,” it said. . letter.

The letter also outlined a specification solution, arguing that increasing the number of native trees through Miyawaki plantation techniques would cool the area, and installing garden seats on the lawn instead of concrete could be more cost-effective and in line with Mumbai’s climate action. Plan.

Citizens have demanded that the concrete surfaces be removed from the garden and restored to its former glory by adding more greenery, shrubs, shrubs and trees to provide shade to reduce the heat so that visitors can feel comfortable while visiting the garden.

He also asked the BMC to consult citizens before undertaking similar projects in the future by uploading a detailed work plan on the corporation’s website. The letter also requests the BMC to restore the lotus pond and install benches under trees to provide shade.

Natasha Pereira, a Bandra resident who led the initiative to lodge a complaint with the BMC, said, “I read on social media that the Bandra fort is plastered and when I checked it myself, the sight made me furious. Less greenery and more concrete has made the garden so hot that it seems like you need air conditioning in your garden too. Previously, the same thing happened to several gardens near the bandstand. After I complained about this, meetings were held but nothing changed, but now we have to stop fleshing out our gardens.”