Malabar Hill residents oppose the proposed alternative reservoir project at Hanging Gardens

Residents had earlier opposed a similar proposal in 2022, forcing the civic body to drop the plan. The fresh proposal involves constructing a three-tier alternative reservoir of 52 million litres per day (MLD) to facilitate repairs to the existing 147 MLD Malabar Hill reservoir

Mumbai: Over 30 residents of Malabar Hill gathered at Hanging Gardens on Sunday evening, expressing their opposition to the proposed alternative reservoir project, after learning that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering a revised plan under the new municipal commissioner.

A public meeting was held to discuss the way forward for saving the trees of the Hanging Garden precinct, with citizens gathering at the Senior Citizens Enclosure at Hanging Gardens, Malbar Hill in Mumbai on Sunday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Residents had earlier opposed a similar proposal in 2022, forcing the civic body to drop the plan. The fresh proposal involves constructing a three-tier alternative reservoir of 52 million litres per day (MLD) to facilitate repairs to the existing 147 MLD Malabar Hill reservoir.

“A revised proposal to construct a 52 MLD facility to facilitate repairs for the five compartments of the existing 147 MLD Malabar Hill reservoir was submitted and is under review by the new commissioner. The revised plan ensures that the Hanging Garden will not be disturbed, the number of lost trees will be minimal, and the area’s water supply will remain uninterrupted throughout the period,” a senior official from the BMC said.

However, residents remain unconvinced. Ravi Mandrekar from the Hanging Garden Environment Protection Group (HGEPG) said the group would oppose the project at appropriate forums, including by approaching the municipal commissioner. A public interest litigation (PIL) could be considered if their concerns are not addressed, he said.

The core group has decided to write to the municipal commissioner highlighting concerns over transparency and the need for public consultation. Residents said the project could impact heritage trees and the green cover in the area.

“There is no transparency on what exactly they are doing here. A participatory appraoch instill faith in taxpayers as it is their funds are utlised for projects touted as public good,” said Pervin Sanghvi, who is part of the core group of the Save Hanging Garden campaign.

Another resident Gita Bhatia from Friends of Malabar Hill said, “Most of the trees here are heritage trees. The area will lose its greenery just because the BMC wants to make a new project here.”

The Malabar Hill reservoir project was set to lose 389 trees, which the BMC now says they have trimmed down to just 76 trees following citizens’ concerns about loss of tree cover. The meeting also saw the likes of Dr VV Noori, who was part of a three-member expert committee, questioned the need for an alternate reservoir when the existing one was in a good condition.

Also present was civic activist Zoru Bhathena who pointed out how Malabar Hill enjoyed “multiple protections under various reservations like green zone, funnel zone” and wondered how could the BMC overlook all these. He also stated that the fact that BMC’s basic premise that the Malabar Hill’s old reservoir was dilapidated, on which they had based their entire project, turned out to be false, highlighted how the citizens forum had been right to question the motives of BMC on this project.