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The next big nature escape in Mumbai could be hiding among Mumbai’s dense mangroves. The city’s first dedicated mangrove park, the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mangrove Park (or the Gorai Mangrove Park) in Gorai, might finally open to the public before Diwali!
According to Mid-Day, the ₹33.43-crore mangrove park could welcome visitors within the next 10 to 15 days, provided everything 'goes as planned'. The space has been awaiting its inauguration for over six months now, despite reports that construction work has been completed.
The eight-hectare park in Mumbai’s western suburbs was developed by the Maharashtra Forest Department’s Mangrove Cell with an aim to allow visitors a closer look at the coastal ecosystem through nature trails, educational displays, and birdwatching facilities.
What can visitors find at Gorai Mangrove Park?
According to Mid-Day, the biggest draw at Gorai Mangrove Park is a 740-metre elevated boardwalk that will let you walk through Mumbai’s mangrove ecosystem without cutting through the trees. This project is designed with an eco-sensitive approach, ensuring exploration of coastal habitats while minimising disturbance to its vegetation.
The Gorai Mangrove Park will also include:
An elevated boardwalk or a walkway winding through the mangroves, offering an up-close view of the ecosystem.
Guided nature trails with trained naturalists to help visitors learn about mangrove habitats
Nature interpretation facilities as well as interactive experiences, like a touch-based virtual reality system, that will introduce visitors to mangrove flora and fauna, and
A bird observatory for observing various coastal and mangrove bird species.
The idea is to make a park that is more than a scenic stroll, as mangroves play a significant role in supporting biodiversity and protecting coastlines. The Gorai Mangrove Park, then, also aims to raise awareness about the importance of conserving these fragile ecosystems around us.
As of now, the opening of the Gorai Mangrove Park remains tentative rather than a confirmed public launch date. Mumbaikars will need to wait for an official announcement before planning a visit. However, if the latest timeline holds, the city could soon have a new way to get closer to nature without travelling somewhere far beyond its suburbs.