Bhiwandi: Once known for its greenery and charm, Bhiwandi city today stands as a portrait of urban neglect. The horticulture department of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) faces serious allegations of apathy, corruption, and poor management, as 26 public gardens across the city have fallen into utter disrepair.
Residents have voiced growing frustration over the administration’s indifference, alleging that both officials and elected representatives have failed to protect the city’s natural spaces.
Rising Population, Shrinking Greenery
Spread across approximately 26 square kilometers, Bhiwandi’s population has risen from seven lakh in 2011 to nearly twelve lakh today. Yet, this growth has not been matched by adequate green infrastructure. The few existing gardens are in such neglected condition that citizens say they no longer serve their purpose as public recreation zones.
Bhiwandi’s Vanishing Green | FPJ Photo
Neglect and Decay Everywhere
From Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Garden and Shaheed Chowk Garden to Parshuram Taore Stadium Garden and Arif Garden, the story is the same — dried plants, broken play equipment, defunct fountains, and damaged boundary walls. Many gardens have become unsafe after sunset, turning into gathering spots for anti-social elements.
Security and Maintenance Only on Paper
Sources reveal that while 75 employees are officially attached to the horticulture department, most rarely visit the parks they are assigned to. Attendance is often marked at the headquarters instead. Security guards, too, exist only in official records.
Bhiwandi’s Vanishing Green | FPJ Photo
Bhiwandi’s Vanishing Green | FPJ Photo
The garden near Erula Talao is reportedly in the worst condition, with locals claiming multiple unpleasant incidents have occurred there in recent years.
Old Allegations of Corruption Resurface
Department head Nilesh N. Sankhe has previously faced allegations of corruption. In 2017, then Municipal Commissioner IAS Dr. Yogesh Mhase inspected several gardens and issued a show-cause notice to Sankhe for serious irregularities. He was suspended for non-compliance but reinstated shortly afterward.
Citizens allege that such “suspension and reinstatement dramas” have allowed corruption to thrive unchecked.
Ward-Wise Reality: Gardens on Paper, Ruins on Ground
Ward Committee 1: Three gardens are listed, but only two behind Shaheed Chowk and near IGM physically exist, both severely neglected.
Ward Committee 2: The Municipal Headquarters garden has been wrongly included in this ward’s list.
Ward Committee 3: Nearly half of the city’s “paper gardens” are in this area. Residents allege localities here have been consistently ignored in maintenance drives.
Ward Committee 4: Three gardens are registered, including those near Dargah Diwan Shah and Parshuram Taore Stadium, both in crumbling condition.
Ward Committee 5: Eight gardens exist on record, including the key Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Garden, where the Corporation reportedly spent ₹25 lakh on ‘civil works.’ Locals, however, say no tangible improvement has taken place.
‘Not a Single Park Fit for Citizens,’ Says Advocate Shaikh
Social activist and citizens’ representative Advocate Saleem Yusuf Shaikh expressed strong displeasure over the state of public parks.
“Bhiwandi has over a dozen listed gardens, but not a single one where citizens can take their children for a walk or play safely,” Shaikh said. “Every year, the Corporation spends lakhs of rupees in the name of garden maintenance, yet all we see is concrete dust and dried shrubs. This is not just negligence it’s a betrayal of public trust.”
Citizens Demand Accountability
Residents have urged Commissioner Anmol Sagar to initiate an independent inquiry into the horticulture department’s functioning, fix accountability, and immediately begin large-scale restoration and replantation efforts.
