Mumbai’s First Garden – Under – Flyover ! Nanalal D. Mehta Garden
Mumbai Residents Modified the Place under a Flyover into an Amazing Garden
Mumbai’s first garden-under-flyover was lastly initiated after the dedicated hard work of several Matunga inhabitants. Named the garden as Nanalal D. Mehta Garden, it is located below the Tulpule Flyover on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Road in Mumbai.
Citizens of Matunga came collectively to protect this stretch from trespass and misuse and thought of the concept of building a garden here.
Soon after the flyover was built and open to the people about four years ago, it began transforming into a hangout place for hawkers, gamblers, drug addicts. It was then that the occupants of Matunga took over the charge to stop this from happening.
Once the stretch was barricaded, about 40 people crowd-sourced funds and employed 24X7 private security to look after it for two years. They also managed to get 10-12 BMC sweepers to sweep the stretch and ensure that it does not become a dumping area.
In the year 2011, they began requesting various government officials with the concept of developing a small garden in that place and got the final permission in the year2014. After strong petitioning, the BMC began to redevelop the stretch in June 2015. Today, this is the only flyover in Mumbai city which is encroachment-free.
The garden has been created to resemble like the Narmada River. Engineers and architects analyzed the flow of the river and tried to replicate it on the garden pathway. The 600-meter pathway is blue in color with a replication of rock structures as found on the shores of River Narmada. A granite stone in the garden provides information about the landmarks on the way to the river, like temples, and the area halfway through the stretch has been created to look like the Narmada ghat where people can sit there. The garden has equipped with 300 lights and 11 rotatable CCTV cameras to ensure safety and security.
To get a place in such a packed area is a blessing. It is also enjoyable as they meet their apartment friends here and they finish their walk together. The under flyover garden is open in the morning from 8 am to 1 pm and in the evening from 4 pm to 9.30 pm.
