Mumbai: “I don’t know about palm garden… a new one has opened two roads down,” said a security officer at Pramod Mahajan garden located right across the road from Gopinath Munde Manorajan Maidan in Borivli’s Chikoowadi. Gopinath Munde garden is the palm garden we were attempting to locate. The walking path winds through various species of palms and gives the garden a luxurious feel.
The two gardens across the road from each other occupy five acres of what was once wasteland. In 2014-15, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) transferred the plots to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after they were notified as gardens in the Development Plan: the civic body decided to make a themed garden in one site, and plant scented plants in the Pramod Mahajan garden to counter the stench of the nullah that runs alongside. Last year, the Gopinath Munde garden was spruced up further, and received a sound and light system.
Jeetendra Pardeshi, Garden and Tree superintendent, BMC, said that themed gardens are common in developed countries like Singapore. “So, we decided to have a palm garden here. The development of the garden has been done in stages. Last year, (former) minister Aditya Thackeray’s fund was used to install a music and light system after demands by local representatives.”
With 800 trees (and at least 18 varieties of palm), Gopinath Munde garden looks a bit like a forest. There are four gazebos in the garden with seating areas. Even though the Chikoowadi area itself is not without gardens—there’s a large playground barely 300 metres ahead —it’s rare to be surrounded by trees and quiet.
The walking path is fitted with lights as the lampposts didn’t emit enough light for the evening walkers. Regular inputs on music are taken from locals, a BMC ward officer said. A member of the garden staff announces that bhajans are played on the loudspeaker in the mornings and evenings. It’s quite the crowd puller, he said.
The garden shared its walls with a few housing colonies in the area. At 11 am on a Sunday, the garden is nearly empty. A senior citizen occupies the gazebo and seems to be a regular. He hands over change to a garden staffer asking him to bring him a cup of tea. “I can come here and sit now, thanks to the ample seating space. Plus, there’s also protection from rain,” he said. “I see the world pass by.”
Subhash Patil, retired vice-principal of Chetana College, is another regular. He began to live in Chikoowadi in 1999 and is the joint secretary of the Chikoowadi Residents’ Welfare Association. “With environment studies being an important aspect of children’s education these days, many such gardens should be encouraged where children can learn about different kinds of trees. A son of a farmer, I have an interest in trees and try to identify each species,” he said.
“Who wants to live next to a nullah? With the garden in its vicinity, the nullah is less noticeable,” said a local ward officer.
Both parks are open between 5.15 am and 9 pm with a three-hour break from noon to 3 pm, on all days. A security guard is stationed at the park at all times of the day and night, and there is no entry fee.