Garden audit: Dadar park has no space for kids, snakes seen on walking track

There have been several instances of rat snakes slithering out from their hidey holes on the walking track

Spread over 10-odd acres, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) took a long time to throw open the Pramod Mahajan Kala Park in Dadar West to the public, having started work on it in 2008, receiving a lot of flak for it. When it was finally inaugurated in May 2015, it was with a lot of pomp and promise. But nearly four years down the line, instead of being a space to relax amid the concrete jungle, it's just a green blob lacking basic hygiene and infrastructure.

The city is starving for open spaces amid skyscrapers and nonstop development, and in such a scenario, a splash of green is a welcome relief. But such is the state of BMC's Pramod Mahajan garden that citizens can't help turning up their nose (literally), unable to find any peace or relaxation.

Washrooms on the premises are in an unsanitary state due to no water. Pics/Suresh Karkera

No space for kids
The garden that lies in the heart of the city boasts of ponds with lilies and lotuses, and is home to around 1 lakh plants of 180 species. It sees nearly a thousand visitors daily and yet has no proper provision for children. And the fact that it lacks a dedicated playing area for kids is more of a bother for the adults - for want of a space for themselves, the children run around across the garden and on the walking path, getting in the way of elderly walkers and others.

Ramesh Surve, a senior citizen who has been visiting the garden since it opened, said, "There is no area for kids to play; so they keep running all over, causing problems for the walkers, especially senior citizens." There have also been several instances of rat snakes slithering out from their hidey holes on the walking track. While considered harmless for humans, visitors have expressed concern for the children who play around with abandon.

Due to lack of a dedicated children's play area, kids often run on the walking track, getting in the way of joggers and those exercising. Pic/Suresh Karkera

High and dry
Those visiting this garden either need to carry their own water bottles or stay thirsty. It doesn't have drinking water coolers, complained regular visitors. And, to make matters worse, while recycled water from sewage treatment is used in the garden, there is insufficient water in the washrooms, thus leaving them unsanitary and filthy. Santosh Yadav, a Dadar resident and a regular visitor, said, "We would want the toilets to be kept well. Also, because it is a huge space, if one more toilet is added, it will be very helpful for senior citizens, many whom are diabetic and cannot control their bladder."

Residents have complained that one section of the garden doesn't have any lights, while several of those installed elsewhere are non-functional. Pic/Atul Kamble

41,916
Total (in square metres) area of the garden

1,000
Approximate number of visitors it gets daily

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