A walk through the newly inaugurated SoBo elevated trail, and all you need to know about it
The elevated nature trail at Kamala Nehru Park, Malabar Hill, affords visitors panoramic views of the area. Pic/Atul Kamble
On Sunday morning, it was all about putting your two best feet forward as a highly anticipated forest walkway/elevated nature trail opened at Kamala Nehru Park, Malabar Hill. This walkway, which stands opposite the Malabar Hill Club (formerly WIAA club), next to Siri Road was inaugurated amidst cheers at 9.30 am.
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As architect Rahul Kadri was being congratulated, several top Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials arrived along with Mangal Prabhat Lodha, guardian minister of Mumbai Suburban District and BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani. Cries of ‘Morya re’ rent the air as the walkway was declared officially ‘open’ and then, the bigwigs were off on the walkway, cameras keeping pace.
Trail ‘n’ hearty at the forest walk on Sunday morning. Pic/Atul Kamble
Salient features
This elevated nature trail at the park is 485 m in length and the width of the walkway is 2.4 m and 5.4 m. It has two emergency exits, one at Kamala Nehru Park and the other at the Babulnath steps. Gagrani who was enjoying the trail said, “Maintenance is key. The walkway is very strong, yet we have restricted persons to 200 at one time as a precaution. While we will have personnel to clean up, people need to ensure cleanliness too. Foodstuff is not allowed on the trail.”
Educational aspect
The first sound on the walkway though, was that of the birds chirping. That sound was at once audible amidst the conversations of the walkers, as one group went through the turnstiles and others awaited their turn. It was evident that birds are the chirpy cheerleaders of the biodiversity spot. There is an educational aspect with several small boards explaining what walkers may expect on the trail. One small marker explained about the ‘Indian Grey Hornbill’ and the features of the bird. There was a quick learning lesson about the ‘Bark Gecko’, which one learnt is: ‘a nocturnal gecko with rough, bark-like skin that helps in camouflage’.
Speakers and listeners at the PDP Citizen Dialogue initiative. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
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Sanjay Shirke, a former Malabar Hill local who was on the trail, said, “The walkway will bring people closer to nature. We must ensure it is secure, since the trail winds its way for a distance inside. It may be a good idea to look at some special discount for senior citizens.” Currently, the ticket price is Rs 25.
Area resident Geeta Bhatia who was near the ticket counter was excited. She said smiling, “This is a tremendous job. We need greenery. We have to connect with nature. This walkway gives us an avenue to do so.”
Ashish C Shah, who also experienced the walkway, said, “I am here with others and all of us could not believe we are in India. Experience going overseas without a passport,” he said with a laugh, adding, “People too must play their part in maintenance by ensuring cleanliness.” Even as one left the venue, it was evident that the trail is where the shrill trill of the stressful mobile can be replaced by the sweet sound of birdsong.
The greens
The Malabar Hill area is singing the green song loud and clear. Earlier on Sunday morning, before the walkway inauguration, a Shantivan Rock Garden was also declared open in the vicinity near Godrej Baug, Malabar Hill. On Saturday, March 29, morning, the stunning Priyadarshini Park, known by the acronym, ‘PDP’, played host to a programme called ‘Citizen Dialogue’, an interactive meeting to address pollution concerns and greening initiatives for South Mumbai specifically. The special guests were Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora and Siddhesh Kadam, chairman, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Susieben Shah, general secretary, PDP, said to her audience comprising primarily people from the area, “One needs to be part of the system to bring about change. We need to engage continually with politicians and policy-makers,” explained Shah, who is with the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde).
The meet marked the launch of an umbrella organisation called ‘South Mumbai Residents Association’ (SMRA). Deora said, “Air Quality Index [AQI] is the burning issue of today. The AQI is now on the radar of the Mumbaikar too. More interactive meetings under the SMRA umbrella are key.”
Kadam said, “Born and brought up here, I know what Mumbai is facing. Where there is development, there is pollution. We do want development but balance is critical. There is that thin line which we can demarcate at meetings.”
485 metres
Length of the walkway
5 am - 9 pm
Elevated nature trail timings
Rs 25
Ticket price for Indian citizens
Rs 100
Ticket price for foreigners
Rs 25
Ticket price for Indian citizens
Walkway wise
. Nature trail numbers:
Length: 485m
Width: 2.4m and 5.4m
Emergency exits: 2
. The elevated nature trail is open to the public from 5 am to 9 pm every day
. To visit the Nature Elevated Trail, visitors can book tickets through https://naturetrail.mcgm.gov.in/
. The ticket charges are:
Rs 25 for Indian citizens
Rs 100 for foreign nationals
. Visiting hours are divided into one-hour slots, with controlled access via an online ticketing system. *Visitors will receive a barcode upon booking, for entry and exit.
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