Rename Tata Garden after Ratan Tata, residents tell Tata group

Seeking to restore the lost glory and greenery of Tata Garden in Breach Candy, the residents of the area have appealed to the Tata Group to adopt the garden once again, and honour the legacy of their late chairperson by renaming it as ‘Ratan Tata Garden.’

MUMBAI: Seeking to restore the lost glory and greenery of Tata Garden in Breach Candy, the residents of the area have appealed to the Tata Group to adopt the garden once again, and honour the legacy of their late chairperson by renaming it as ‘Ratan Tata Garden.’ By Monday, the petition had already garnered over 1,000 signatures.

Mumbai, India - June 3, 2025:Tata Garden at Breach Candy, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

“For the Coastal Road’s development, our beautiful garden was made smaller and divided into three,” said Rajesh Dahiya, who started the petition. “For the past 6 months, we have put in all efforts and care to ensure no more harm comes to it. We’ve closely tracked the boundary wall being built around it. Now, it is time the garden is rebuilt, and the first right to do so goes to the Tata Group.”

Dahiya explained that it was the Tata Group that first adopted the garden, when it was just a patch of land, and turned it into the landmark it became. It had a canopied shade, walking trail, and stone benches that allowed residents to sit and enjoy the cool sea breeze.

“The Tata Garden was our landmark. All we had to do was tell the taxi drivers those two words, and they knew where to take us,” said Dahiya. “Today, the garden is divided, neglected, choked by dust, and forgotten due to lack of maintenance and proper care.”

As per the BMC D ward’s garden department, the once 8,000-square-metre garden is now half its original size at 4,000 sq m, and in three parcels, the middle one being the largest.

With the Tata Group investing heavily in the area, including working on the Coastal Road’s median, the residents are hopeful they would want to return to the garden, too.

“Ratan Tata was a frequent visitor at the garden, and we know he was not the kind of man who would want a monument in his honour, but might like a garden named after his legacy,” Dahiya said. “This way, the Tata Garden can be reborn as Ratan Tata Garden.”

On June 5, World Environment Day, the residents planted 50 coconut tree saplings to kickstart the restoration effort. Dahiya said, “We want a partnership with Tata Group and co-create the garden.”

The petition suggests multiple features for the garden, some old, some new: a winded shaded path for morning walkers and elderly; accessible benches and gazebos for reading, chatting and resting; thoughtful landscaping; native trees that offer shade and attract butterflies; and a children’s corner.

The D ward is in support of the residents’ plea to get corporates to look after the garden under the caretaker policy. “The garden requires ₹2 crore to 3 crore to be spruced up, which the ward doesn’t have,” said an official. “Most of the fencing work around the garden is done, so it’s the perfect time for someone to swoop in with funds.”