Public open spaces give succour to people, but Mumbai’s parks are a different story

In a city like Mumbai that is starved of open spaces, public parks give succour to people who want to relax. However, people deplore the undue restrictions in the parks that virtually makes it impossible to have a picnic in Mumbai. "Most parks don't allow walking on grass and restrict food," says Anca Florescu Abraham, a local resident. "The list of don'ts is never-ending".

Although, this summer the mercurial heat has mostly prevented people from enjoying the season to the fullest, but even if they wanted to, the rules at parks in the city stop them. Abraham, who has called Mumbai her home for 18 years, laments that it is very difficult not only for people to have a picnic at the open spaces but also to simply spend time without facing challenges.

Talking to middayonline.com from Copenhagen, Abraham gives a context. To picnic is normal. People meet friends, gossip and drink. It is normal. What is expected of the local administration is to create more open spaces. Speaking about Copehhagen where she is holidaying, Abraham says the revamping of existing open spaces there is very transparent, every project is announced, the planning is open for everyone to see. She cites the example to highlight how locals in Mumbai had no clue that there was a plan to construct underground parking in Patwardhan Park. "In a city with skyrocketing pollution levels and density, we can't afford to lose one more inch of open space," she adds.

Interestingly, Mumbai does boast of quite a few popular parks in different regions. While some are well-maintained, others are neglected. Then, there are others like Pushpa Narsee Park being taken over by the civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to build "unnecessary" parking lots; others are simply catering to the need of real estate in the maximum city.

So, how difficult is it to picnic or indulge in leisurely activities in these parks? With summer probably being the best time to spend under the shade, the challenges in accessibility often deter most people from even entering the parks.

People this writer spoke to listed several reasons from entering the parks, included overcrowding and non-maintenance. People do not go to parks just for picnics. Many people go to parks to jog, for example. However, it isn't always possible. In case of unfamiliar fitness activities like slack lining or more, public and private authorities have a puzzled look that often leads to them stopping the activity. "No games, no cycling, no balls. Except for breathing and walking (that too in the same direction as stipulated on the signage), everything is banned," adds an exasperated Abraham, who is the co-founder of Love Your Parks Mumbai and Bombay Greenway.

Challenges and restrictions
For example, Abraham says, since the Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu was taken over by BMC, there has been double fold regression: no walking on grass, hence implicitly no picnic, no games, no farmers market, and the timings have reduced. The park, she says, was one of the "forward-thinking" places in the city with cycle tracks, picnics, games and balls being allowed. They even hosted a weekly farmers market. What is very worrying is that there are plans of turning the park into an underground parking space. "Luckily local citizens and architects protected this park. Patwardhan Park is still under threat," shares the 41-year-old.

Abraham started "Love Your Parks Mumbai" back in 2018, with co-founder, Tina Nandi. It was due to their frustration with local public parks that not only had restrictions and inconvenient timings but also had badly maintained infrastructure. Being at the forefront of raising awareness about the need for parks and using them sufficiently in the city, Abraham says people can spend time at all the parks in the city. However, there are certain factors that contribute to them not being able to do it properly. "The reduced timings, and the fact that the timings are not very people and pet-friendly, is deterring people from using local parks as much as they would like to. We often receive shocking messages of parks being kept closed, although all BMC parks should be open from 6 am to 10 pm," she explains. This is apart from the fact that the lack of public facilities like restrooms or easily available drinking water in most parks makes it difficult to hang around for a longer time, she says.

Santacruz-based Kate C echoes Abraham sentiments. "No, Mumbaikars cannot have picnics in parks. The rules in many parks in the western suburbs forbid it. Pushpa Narsee Park used to allow it before the management was taken over by BMC," she reiterates.

Over the years, the city-based executive producer has been frequenting many parks in the city like Joggers Park, Patwardhan Park and Pushpa Narsee Park, before the new rules were implemented. In fact, she says Bajaj Park also has rules like no walking on the grass, which she calls "ridiculous". "D'Monte Park is the only park that I know of, that allows balls," she shares. Drawing a direct comparison with France, her home country, the 39-year-old says there are some major differences in the way parks are treated in Mumbai. "There are restrictions on activities and movements here, unsafe and unkempt play areas for children, littering due to insufficient bins, and too much concrete," she explains.

Bad maintenance and solutions
The maintenance of the parks is also the reason why Andheri resident Rebecca Fernandes believes many people don't visit them. Fernandes, who is a mother of two, says, "I believe parks and gardens in Mumbai are underused. I would like to take my children, who are aged 4 and 6, to the local park but it is not well-maintained. The swings are missing and so are other children's activities. My children only utilise the slides at the parks."

Fernandes, who has called Mumbai her home for a long time says that even though there is a municipal park about 400 metres away, it is always crowded and that is a deterrent for her. "The parks can be better utilised by maintaining them. In the park that we visit, there is no sand in the children's play area, hence when the children fall they get scraped and hurt easily," she shares. While she speaks about the suburbs, the Andheri resident believes parks in South Mumbai are better maintained.

Unlike others, Bandra-based CrossFit coach Aditya Ankam, who uses city parks to conduct his sessions, has had a better experience. However, he believes a lot more needs to be done, especially when it comes to accessibility for different activities. "Authorities can work towards enhancing the infrastructure and facilities available in these spaces. This could include improving maintenance, providing designated areas for specific activities, ensuring cleanliness, and implementing safety measures."

This observation comes from him having conducted sessions in Mumbai parks for over five years. "When I conducted crossfit training in parks and gardens, I didn't face any significant challenges from authorities or otherwise. There were instances where Ankam had to ensure that he followed relevant regulations or obtained necessary permissions to conduct organised workouts in public spaces.

However, he doesn't limit it to the general duties, but also to them raising awareness about the importance of outdoor activities and promoting the utilisation of these spaces. The fact that many people - this writer spoke to about their use of parks in the city - said it is non-existent. It proves the lack of enough awareness or information. "It encourages more people to engage in healthy and recreational pursuits," shares Ankam, who embraces outdoor workouts as part of his fitness routine.

Training crossfit in parks and gardens, Ankam says, takes his workouts to another level, away from the artificiality of air-conditioned gyms. "Instead of relying on machines, I embrace barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, and rowing/air bikes in a natural environment. It's green exercise at its finest, connecting me directly with sunlight. The climate's impact adds a new dimension, challenging my body in ways that indoor workouts can't replicate. That's why I choose to train outdoors, where nature fuels my fitness journey," explains Ankam, who previously frequented Priyadarshini Park, but has been making use of parks on Carter Road, and Aeroplane Garden, more recently. "I appreciate the variety they provide in terms of terrain and workout possibilities. These locations have become my go-to spots, and I still frequent them regularly to enjoy the benefits of training," says the 28-year-old, associated with a Juhu-based fitness studio.

It is for people like Ankam and other Mumbaikars, who love parks so much, that Kate believes more needs to be done. She says, "There need to be more trees for shade and nature. More soil to walk on. More bins. And importantly allowing people to exercise as they want." The fact that most of the population of this city is pedestrian and live in small spaces, she says, shows the city is built for the wealthy minority with cars. "Citizens deserve green public spaces. European cities have better public parks and pedestrian spaces because they were built at a time when even the wealthy walked," she concludes.

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