Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will now be developing gardens under flyovers in the eastern suburbs. The corporation has decided to beautify the space under most flyovers to prevent encroachment and add to the city’s green lungs. The eastern suburbs will have nine such gardens, on 1.7 lakh sq feet.
The BMC recently declared its intention to develop six gardens under flyovers in the city, including the Hindmata and Elphinstone flyovers. It wants to similarly develop the spaces under flyovers in the eastern suburbs using floral shrubs, vertical biowalls and topiaries, among other things. The corporation has zeroed in on nine flyovers including those on the Santacruz Chembur Link Road, Eastern freeway, Mankhurd T junction, Ramkrishna Chemburkar Marg, Amar Mahal flyover and the Andheri Ghatkopar Link Road. By beautifying these spaces, it will prevent encroachment, unauthorised parking, dumping of garbage as well as develop them into community spaces. Besides, motorists will drive by a pleasant sight.
The largest among these spaces will be the one under the Sion-Panvel highway, at the flyover on the Maharashtra Nagar T-junction. This garden, spread over 79,254 sq ft, will consist of a jogging track, lawns, and a children’s play area. The SCLR flyover at the Amar Mahal junction will have a 37,673 sq-ft garden with a topiary and vertical biowall.
The BMC has already developed vertical gardens in a few spots. Among the shrubs to be planted in these gardens are plumbago, hamelia, duranta, malpighia, acalypha, croton, bougainvillea, saplera, ficus, areca palm, and ixora.
The Metro line running on the Andheri Ghatkopar Link Road will have the space underneath its piers transformed at four spots. Two of these gardens will be located near Jagruti Nagar Metro station and two near Asalpha station, totalling 22,850 sq ft.
“The entire project will cost us around ₹7.3 crore. A tendering process is under way. Once the work order is issued, work will take around three to four months. We are sure it will be complete before the monsoon,” said an officer from the Gardens Department.
