Hanging Gardens Of Mumbai To Shut Down In A Phased Manner For 7 Years

Mumbai's 136-year-old famous Hanging Gardens is likely to be shut down for 7 years due to the reconstruction of a colonial-era reservoir on Malabar Hill. A plan to reconstruct the reservoir under the terraced garden on Malabar Hill is in place for which the Hanging Gardens would be shut in a phased manner.

As per a report in the Times of India, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) P Velrasu said, "The plan is to demolish and reconstruct the reservoir over seven years,"

The entire landscaped area is supposed to be taken apart in addition to cutting down and transplanting of about 350 trees on an adjoining plot, added the officials.

Mumbai Guardian minister and local MLA MP Lodha called for a public meeting today following protests by residents. The reservoir is designed to supply water through the force of gravity to most of SoBo as it is located at one of the highest points in the city. "If there are alternatives they can be explored. But then instead of using gravity to supply to all of south Mumbai, water may have to be pumped up here," said Lodha as per TOI.

A structural audit from 2017 exposed the precarious state of the reservoir where the roof of the reservoir (on which the garden is located) as well as the columns supporting it are weak. The Rs 698 crore plan to demolish the Hanging Garden and rebuild the reservoir has been in the works since.

Reportedly, Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu also said, "Collapse of the roof and the supporting columns is a real threat. Water supply to the whole of south Mumbai will be affected," adding that the condition of the tank, which can presently hold 147 million liters is such that, BMC cannot risk part-demolition. Along with a surface area of 22,000 sq meters, the reservoir comprises five chambers.

In 2022, the BMC's standing committee cleared the proposal to increase the reservoir's capacity to 191 million liters. The TOI report further added that even corporators had backed the project owing to the huge 3 million population of South Mumbai which was way above what the reservoir was originally built to handle.

However, now that notices for cutting down and transplanting trees are being posted in the vicinity of the garden, residents of the leafy enclave are beginning to realize the larger implications. "Of the total 389 trees on the chopping block, 189 would have to be cut while 200 would have to be transplanted. Many of these are old, native trees of mango, jackfruit, coconut, chikoo, and amla.", added the TOI report.