Mumbai: Decrepit Santacruz garden becomes haven for users again

Eknath Koparde garden? Check. Next? Muktanand garden, Saraswat Colony, Santacruz. It appears mid-day's garden audit is bearing fruit, blooming one more green open space - a broken wall rebuilt, swings reattached, drinking water taps installed and toilets spruced up like never before, the garden is showing the first signs of improvement, just a fortnight after civic officials promised at mid-day's Round Table to look into the neglect and fix the issues.

Sexagenarian Alex D'souza has a special place in his heart for Muktanand garden. This is where, he says proudly, he has been coming for walks for the last two decades, something that helped him to bring his weight down into two digits.

Children have been having a whale of a time as one of the things fixed has been the swings. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"The garden had shrubs and bushes earlier, when the Brahmakumaris used to maintain it. But later, for several months, it felt ignored and abandoned," he added, relaxing on a bench near the entrance after an exhausting morning walk and expressing the hope that more things improve over time and his beloved garden is made pristine again.

On their toes
When mid-day paid a visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, we saw that two security guards on the premises kept a watch on everyone and were on their toes till the gates shut. Also, no sooner did mid-day did spot a group of guys smoking in an isolated corner of the garden, the guards spotted them too and immediately shooed them away.

While the broken wall at the back is yet to be fixed, the slew of changes made have given regular visitors hope of more to come. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

While locals acknowledged and applauded this newspaper as well as authorities for these efforts, they also reminded that a lot more needed to be done. "There is an old tree here... We have been repeatedly urging authorities to trim it. It is bent, and we are afraid it will come down us," said octogenarian R N Patel, who is part of a group of senior citizens, who gather in the garden to chat every evening. Another regular visitor, Dev Vohira, 64, said, "Cleanliness and maintenance of the toilets and the garden needs to be consistent."

Peanuts for kids
But while relief may be on its way for several regular visitors, there is zilch for the 100-odd students from nearby slums who gather in the garden to study every morning and evening. So far, no facilities, mainly lights and fans, have been provided for these children, who are taught by a group of women supported by the Angel Express Foundation. The Foundation's owner, Anubha Sharma, had raised concerns during mid-day's Round Table over permissions and non-cooperation from civic officials.
On Thursday, the guards initially refused entry to the slum kids for their classes.

However, after other regular visitors backed the children and teachers and argued with the guards on their behalf, they were let in. Local BJP corporator Alka Kelkar said, "We have plans to redevelop the garden as a theme park. I have given my suggestions to the civic body; it has told me that the work is likely to commence by October or November. For now, I have issued instructions to clean the floor with bleach and trim all the trees identified as dangerous."

Garden audit
Prime problems then
' Filthy toilets
' No drinking water facility
' Trees left untrimmed
' No swings
' Poor overall maintenance
' Lax security
' No shelter provision in case of rains

Action taken now
' Toilets cleaned up
' Drinking water taps installed
' Swings reattached
' One of the two broken walls rebuilt

Also read: Mumbai: mid-day Garden Audit helps revive Kurla park

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