MUMBAI: The Rs 5.5 crore spent on the restoration of Kalina's Joseph Baptista garden, popularly known as Kalina talao garden, is going down the drain. Locals complained that the garden, upgraded in 2016, is deteriorating due to poor maintenance.
The BMC levied Rs 50,000 in fines over the last month on the contractor tasked with the garden's maintenance, for shoddy work. Despite that, the garden has not been maintained.
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Open spaces are among the most vital amenities for citizens, especially in a space-starved city like Mumbai. The Kalina talao garden was restored at a cost of over Rs 5 crore. The poor maintenance of an open space used by hundreds of residents daily shows that the BMC is not serious about upkeep. It must get its act together, take action against the contractor and ensure that parks and gardens are maintained well.
"The lawn is drying up, walkways are coming apart and there are no security guards. The garden has become vulnerable to encroachments again. Hundreds use this garden every day and companies are just pouring in. The BMC spent Rs 5.5 crore to revive it and create an open space but it is being destroyed. If this is the condition in winter, by summer the whole garden will be dead," said local Congress corporator Tulip Miranda.
Miranda wrote to the BMC garden department, demanding action against the contractor. "Imposing small penalties is not going to help. BMC must blacklist the contractor and appoint a new one. Even the BMC-allotted timings are not followed to open and close the garden," Miranda said.
The 300-year-old Kalina talao, once a natural water reservoir, had been encroached on over the years-it housed at least 200 shanties till 2014. It was revived and turned into a garden with walkways and sports facilities after a two-year struggle by locals led by then Congress corporator Brian Miranda.
"It is an over 30,000 sq m plot. It was brought under CCTV camera surveillance. There's a football ground near the pond, and space for kids to play. High-mast lights were also installed. Now it looks like we are going back to 2014, and the garden is falling apart. The contractor should be blacklisted," Brian said.
Officials said BMC was paying around Rs 60 lakh per month for the maintenance of the garden. "We have imposed several penalties on the maintenance contractor Ms Pinakee Enterprises. We issued a showcause notice as to why the contract must not be terminated. Action is being taken as per procedure," said Sunil Rathod, deputy superintendent, gardens department.
In 2010, BMC had sanctioned a jogging track and pathways on the plot and the garden department had provided Rs 3.6 crore for the same, but an HC order directed the pond be revived. The pond played a key role in the East Indian wedding tradition called 'Umbracha Pani'. It is a ritual observed on 'wedding Saturdays', a day before nuptials.