Mumbai: The residents of Bandra were caught off guard, seeing bushes and trees removed to reduce/beautify the well-maintained Madhukar Kulkarni Udhyan near Mehboob Studio in Bandra. Some active residents on Monday claimed that the notice to remove some 50 trees from the garden was not visible on the spot; however, the work had begun to destroy the green space. The residents highlight that the garden is protected under Coastal Regulation Zone II norms.
“The wooded garden is on the traffic island at the Mehboob Circle. The residents and green activists had raised strong objections last year against the project. Some 300-400 sq ft green space is been destroyed, for the reasons best known to the BMC. They will likely either install more benches or open up some space to arrange events. The lush green trees were removed and kept aside, covered, and we are not sure where they will be replanted,” said a Nazish Shah, a resident. Beautification is accepted but not at the cost of removal of green cover, they say.
In October 2024, in a letter to the BMC garden department and H-West ward office, the residents had raised strong objections against BMC’s proposal to reduce/beautify the garden by removing trees and bushes, which is an oasis of calm and greenery in the midst of busy traffic chowk. They highlighted that it falls under CRZ II norms and is a no-development zone. The letter had more than 130 signatures.
Civic officials had said last year that the garden at Bandra West’s Mehboob Studio Chowk was handed over to ‘I Love Mumbai’ foundation for maintenance, and Bandra MLA Ashish Shelar performed the ‘bhoomipujan’ ceremony for the beautification and renovation of the Mehboob Studio Circle, stating that the project seeks to provide a fresh facelift to the historic precinct.
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