BMC plans Miyawaki forest on 70-ha stretch of coastal road

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a bid to facilitate sustainable green cover on the under-construction coastal road stretch between Princess Street

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a bid to facilitate sustainable green cover on the under-construction coastal road stretch between Princess Street Flyover and Worli, plans to plant the Miyawaki forest on the 70-hectare stretch of Phase 1 of the project.

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The Miyawaki technique was developed in Japan by botanist Akira Miyawaki to build dense native forests in urban areas. The initiative will be taken at several locations across the city to increase the green cover in Mumbai.

The coastal road, which will connect the suburbs and the city, is likely to unclog Mumbai’s roads. Of the total 90 hectares (ha) that will be reclaimed for Phase 1 of the coastal road between Princess Street Flyover and Worli, 20 ha is allotted for the project, while the remaining 70ha is reserved for green cover, in which BMC plans to undertake the plantation.

Municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said, “We will undertake the Miyawaki plantation on the coastal road, as well as plant mangroves in seaward side and build eco-concrete on sea wall, to promote the growth of corals and shell fish and molluscs on the sea walls.”

According to officials, the civic body has held preliminary discussions with experts over the proposal on the reclaimed land of the coastal road, and soon a survey will be conducted to determine how the plantation can be initiated.

Additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal said, “The project can been worked out. We will hold further discussions and take a call on it.”

Apart from discussions with experts, BMC also plans to incorporate the suggestions of the citizens on planning the green cover on the Coastal Road.

A BMC official, who did not wish to be named, said, “We will take suggestions from the public, as there has been a lot for misinformation about the project. We plan to inform the citizens about the benefits of the Miyawaki project.”

Last week, BMC had passed a proposal to plant 3,77,416 trees under the Miyawaki project in 31-acre space across various locations in the city at a total cost of ₹35 crore, to increase the green cover in Mumbai. According to the garden department of the civic body, the locations across the city have already been identified, and the project will soon be implemented on the selected stretches.

Meanwhile, Dr Pankaj Srivastava, director, Indian Institute of Forest Management under the Union environment ministry, said, “The success of any of plantation drive lies on the suitability of the soil at the site of plantation and the composition. The art of plantation also lies on the technique used, including the selection of species, spacing of trees, and also on inputs after site inspection and maintenance post plantation.”