Tourists and nature lovers eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the Mangrove Park in Gorai will have to wait a little longer as the work of setting up the exhibits and giving the finishing touches is underway at the Nature Interpretation Centre (NIC). The park was expected to open in August. But now it is likely to open in September after the monsoon.
The Mangrove Park will have a boardwalk through the mangrove forest area and a watchtower for bird watching. This will help educate and create awareness about the importance of the mangrove ecosystem and biodiversity found in the mangrove forest.
An official of the Mangrove Foundation said, “The work of the boardwalk has been completed and the finishing touches are being given. The work of setting up the exhibits at the NIC is also in progress and we expect the work to be completed by the end of this month. After that, we will approach the Forest Minister and fix the date for the inauguration.”
Earlier, the park was expected to open by May 1, but due to pending work on the parking facility outside the Mangrove Park and NIC, the inauguration date was postponed.
The Mangrove Park is spread over 8 hectares and the main attraction is a 740-metre-long boardwalk that has been built without cutting a single mangrove tree. Once operational, mangrove trails and bird watching will be organised with the help of naturalists.
The Maharashtra State Eco-Tourism Board has approved the project.
Mumbai has over 50 sq km of mangroves. This is probably the highest of any major city in the world. Mangroves are highly effective protectors of coastal cities and marine ecosystems, which came into being for the first time after the 2004 tsunami and the 2005 Mumbai floods.
The project, costing an estimated INR 33.43 crore, aims to create awareness about the important biodiversity found in mangroves and coastal ecosystems. The project has been designed and constructed with an eco-sensitive approach, ensuring minimal impact on the fragile mangrove ecosystem.
Not a single mangrove tree was cut during construction. Instead, they have been thoughtfully incorporated into the design.