In what will put a smile on stressed Mumbaikars’ faces, BMC is set to revamp two of the oldest gardens at Malabar Hill post Diwali. Billed to draw crowds, especially children, the highlights of this project include a fancy foot-over-bridge connecting both gardens which stand across the street from each other, and a canopy walk ending in a viewing gallery overlooking the bay. Kids will be delighted to know that the civic body plans to redo the iconic Old Woman’s Shoe and paint on it characters from the nursery rhyme that inspired it.
The total cost of the project is pegged at Rs 20 crore and it is expected to be completed within the next two years. The project has been divided into three phases with the first phase alone to cost BMC Rs 5 crores which includes construction of the steel bridge and a facelift for the Old Woman’s Shoe.
Plans are also afoot to set up animal topiaries at Kamala Nehru Park, a fish pond, and an open-air amphitheatre.
The civic body conducted surveys before deciding on the kind of decorations to be put up in the gardens. The survey revealed that people, particularly children, preferred pictorial signage and graphic illustrations. BMC hence decided to install colourful placards in the shape of animals and illustrations from popular English, Marathi and Hindi nursery rhymes such as Baba Black Sheep, Machli jal ki rani hain, and so on.
Apart from work scheduled to take place in the first phase of the project, BMC will clear areas within the gardens that are presently not in use. This includes slope stabilisation around garden islands, and removing defunct structures from the garden precinct.
