To increase green cover and save the land from encroachment, the BMC will plant 10,000 trees on a 6.9-acre plot in Malad. A Vedic-themed park based on Noida’s ‘Ved Vann’ will also be set up here. The land located in front of the Atharva college on the Marve Road was encroached upon by furniture shops and shanties and they kept occupying the plot for almost 20 years.
In July, the Mumbai suburban collector directed to hand over the land to the BMC for garden development. After getting possession, the civic body demolished 63 illegal shops last month.
“The site will be protected with barricades and a compound wall will be constructed soon. Also, 10,000 trees will be planted using the Japanese Miyawaki technique and a theme park will be developed by the garden department,” said an official from the P-North ward.
The land is reserved for recreational/playground purposes. Local MP Gopal Shetty had suggested to the BMC to develop the space in a manner similar to the Vedic-theme park at Noida Sector 78, which was once a dumping ground. The estimated cost of developing theme park will be around Rs 5 crore, said the civic sources.
