Mumbai’s Rs 33.43-crore Bharatratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mangrove Park in Gorai could finally welcome visitors within the next 10 to 15 days, provided the remaining arrangements proceed as planned. The facility, also known as Gorai Mangrove Park, has remained closed for more than six months despite the completion of construction work.
A senior forest department official explains that the park could open within this timeframe. Authorities are reportedly aiming to inaugurate it before Diwali, allowing schoolchildren and families to explore the attraction during the festive holidays.
Mangrove Cell chief N.R. Praveen recently visited the site to inspect its condition, according to forest department sources.
BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay said, “The Gorai Mangrove Park will be inaugurated at the earliest,” signalling that the opening is expected to be expedited.
The park has been developed across eight hectares and features a 740-metre elevated boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the mangrove ecosystem without cutting down the trees. Other attractions include guided nature trails led by trained naturalists, a bird observatory for coastal and mangrove species, and a touch-based virtual reality system showcasing local flora and fauna.
The project has received approval from the Maharashtra State Eco-Tourism Board and aims to promote awareness about mangrove conservation and coastal biodiversity.
However, administrative delays have repeatedly postponed its public opening. Reports published by the news organisation have highlighted the prolonged wait, with the facility remaining inaccessible months after work was reportedly completed. In March, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray wrote to Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, urging the authorities to open the park without further delay.
The mangrove park is part of a broader effort to create environmentally sensitive recreational spaces in Mumbai while protecting its coastal ecosystem.
Its opening would provide residents with a new nature-based destination and an opportunity to learn about the ecological importance of mangroves. The proposed inauguration before Diwali is expected to bring an end to the long wait, subject to final arrangements by the authorities.
Source: Mid-day
