10 May,2015 09:20 AM IST | | Shashank Rao
Work on what could be Mumbai’s first theme park under a flyover will begin today. We are talking about the proposed garden-cum-jogging track that will come up between King’s Circle and Ruia College traffic signals on the Dr B Ambedkar Road under the Matunga flyover (officially known as the Tulpule flyover)
Work on what could be Mumbai's first theme park under a flyover will begin today. We are talking about the proposed garden-cum-jogging track that will come up between King's Circle and Ruia College traffic signals on the Dr B Ambedkar Road under the Matunga flyover (officially known as the Tulpule flyover). There is a three-lane highway on either side. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has com up with the plan on a Narmada-river themed jogging track with the garden in between. This entire stretch from end to end where the themed park is coming up is around 700 metres while the width is around 12 metres.
Matunga Flyover. Pics/Shadaab Khan
In a ceremony, Mayor Snehal Ambekar, MP Rahul Shewale and other civic authorities and politicians will announce the launch of the beautification project.
In an article dated May 5, 2013, mid-day had first reported how the residents of Matunga and Dadar had proposed an amphitheatre and a joggers' park under the Matunga flyover in a bid to prevent encroachment by illegally parked cars and beggars.
However, according to sources, the present plan is markedly different from the initial proposal submitted by residents two years ago.
The jogging track would be 15 inches from the ground on the sides. Also its alignment wouldn't be straight but a zig-zag one representing the flow of Narmada river. According to local residents this can pose problems to joggers.
In the middle, there would be a garden with flower plants, small designer trees, and light bollards. The seats would be made of granite and around 500 such seats would be erected. However, many residents feel that these very sitting arrangements might lure slum dwellers and anti-social elements to take refuge here. A similar thing has happened in the nearby Five Gardens, which transforms into a haunt for rowdies at night.
"We don't want it to become a security hazard in future. Moreover there aren't cycling or skating tracks which could have been provided at one end of the flyover for kids," said a resident.
