Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to grow 61 urban forests across Mumbai, using the Japanese Miyawaki technique.
For the plantation and maintenance of saplings for these forests, the BMC will appoint two contractors (one for the city and western suburbs and one for the eastern suburbs) and two to three consultants i.e. horticulturists under whose guidance the contractors will develop the urban forests. The contractors will be appointed for a period of two years at a cost of around '38 crore.
BMC recently announced that it would grow 100 urban forests across the city. “Till now, 61 plots of sizes ranging from 500 square metres to 20,000 square metres have been finalised. Two contractors will be appointed; one for the eastern suburbs that have more plots and one for the city and western suburbs combined. As the urban forests will be developed through the Miyawaki technique, experts will be appointed under whose consultation the contractors will grow the forests. The consultants will be on the BMC panel but will be paid by the contractors,” said a senior garden department officer.
The urban forests will have plantations not more than 6 feet high which will grow 30 times faster using the Miyawaki technique. Saplings of native species including the taman, bah-ava, karanj, neem, bakul, banyan, peepal, jamun and semal will be planted. On its part, the civic body has started the plantation of saplins from its nurseries. Till August 15, more than 4,000 saplings have been planted.
The contractors will also build pathways and sitting arrangements. The objective of creating urban forests is not only to increase the city’s green cover but also give citizens an opportunity to experience the forests.
