How Kaifi Azmi Park, once a dump yard, has become a blessing for Juhu residents

Located in Mumbai’s luxurious Juhu estate but next to a sewer line, the Kaifi Azmi Park—once a dump yard—is now a neighbourhood park with an amphitheatre, thanks to a citizens’ group that waged an 11-year battle to rehabilitate it.

It is an example of how vigilant citizens prevented a public space from being taken over by a developer. The park is among the few public spaces fiercely protected by citizens.

It took 11 years for the Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group and Save Open Spaces to transform this wasteland into a green zone, which now boasts a joggers’ track; walking path; amphitheatre; educational and interactive garden with medicinal, aromatic and flowering plants; and also stretches of mangroves along its periphery.

Beautiful murals adorn the sides of the amphitheatre steps, one of which depicts singer Kishore Kumar. (EXpress Photo)

The park is an extension to Kishore Kumar Baug and was inaugurated by tabla maestro Zakir Hussain in 2017. He performed at the inaugural ceremony, marking an end to the battle of more than a decade.

Even though the park is next to the Irla storm water drain, the smell of the sewage is muffled by over 2,500 trees, including a few flowering ones. At the end of the park is a gazebo where you can always see yoga enthusiasts in action.

Inside the garden, on one side, a walking path covers the periphery while another grassy patch will take you slightly uphill to give you a view of the rising sun. The centre of the garden is an amphitheatre space, christened Vijay Tendulkar Amphitheatre. When not filled with youngsters in their jamming sessions, this space has walkers sunning themselves for their daily dose of Vitamin D.

The centre of the garden is an amphitheatre space, christened Vijay Tendulkar Amphitheatre. (Express Photo)

At the park’s far end are restrooms with cold water from purifiers. Senior citizens settle down on the park benches. Some rest for a chat on the benches along the walkway. The park has magnificent flowers, white and pink bougainvillea flowers in the corners adding to its aesthetics. Beautiful murals adorn the sides of the amphitheatre steps, one of which depicts singer Kishore Kumar.

Sixty-year-old Hetal, a Juhu resident, described how she and her husband enjoyed the park to the utmost. “The park has been a blessing for our community,” she said. “Every evening, my husband and I come here for a walk, leaving our phones at home.”

Armed with a phone and earphones, 19-year-old Juhu resident Gehna Dalwani described how the park catered to everyone in the neighbourhood. “It is incredibly accessible and it isn’t just for walking, yoga and jogging. There have been and continue to be thousands of functions and activities inside the garden. Once my friends and I saw someone even get proposed to here.”