Matunga's Residents Transform Under-Flyover Space Into A Beautiful Walkway

Last year, a group of Matunga’s pro-active residents petitioned to develop a neglected space under Matunga’s flyover. Today (June 15th) their efforts were finally rewarded with the inauguration of a lovely public garden and designated walking track.

The walking and jogging track is the child of months of labour on the part of the residents to prevent encroachment and abandonment and was initially designed to emulate the Narmada river, but residents felt that might eat up too much of the walking space and hence, changed it up a bit. The final design ensures that even at its narrowest point, it’s still 12 feet in breadth. For over two years, the residents successfully monitored the space, keeping it free of encroachment. Activities such as community fests and clean-up drives were incorporated so that people could not set up tents or park their cars in the area, said local Achal Sarawal to DNA. In addition, around 40 residents appointed security guards and paid them to monitor the area. After successful petitioning by the residents, the BMC began to redevelop the area in June 2015. The garden is illuminated with over 300 lights and 11 CCTV cameras will be installed. This makes the Matunga flyover the only one in the city that is encroachment-free and used by residents for all kinds of social gatherings and activities--a worthy reprieve if ever there was one.

Feature Image Courtesy of Chintu Sarawal’s Facebook profile.