'Community urban farm' set to soon sprout under Mumbai airport flyover

Mumbai: In a bid to reclaim neglected city spaces, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has planned a pilot project to convert the area beneath a flyover near the airport's Terminal 1 into a sprawling "community urban farm", officials said.

The initiative, expected to be a first for the Western Express Highway (WEH) corridor in the metropolis, aims to transform a 24,000-sqft stretch into a lush agricultural zone where locals can grow vegetables, fruits and other plants, they said.

The project, likely to be launched next month, is next to the T1 Aqua Line Metro station near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The BMC's role is to provide land, water and electricity connection, and the rest of the work has been taken up by local organisations like the Swachh Parle Abhiyan and Parle Vriksha Mitra.

"The idea is to move beyond the traditional concept of just beautification or jogging tracks. We are creating a functional green ecosystem in the heart of the city's concrete sprawl," a senior civic official told PTI.

Under the proposed plan, the BMC will create dedicated cultivation pits of about 6 ft x 3 ft, which will be offered to local people on an adoption basis. Residents of other suburbs are also welcome, Varsha Karamblekar of the Swachh Parle Abhiyan said.

So far, 24 pits have been constructed and will be extended as per the demand and people's participation.

The participating families will be responsible for the maintenance and harvest of their respective plots, fostering a "farm-to-table" culture within the metropolis, she said.

The project is dedicated to all types of vegetables and fruits. There would be a demonstration area to teach people how to create balcony and terrace gardens. A small section would be earmarked for residents to sell their surplus organic produce, Karamblekar said.

A unique "plant creche" will also be created where people can leave their home plants for maintenance while travelling, she added.

To ensure the project remains eco-friendly, there are plans to use compost generated from local wet waste. The area will be fenced to prevent unauthorised parking and misuse by anti-social elements, which have plagued under-flyover spaces.

Challenges like improper sunlight and damage by rats and pigeons are also being discussed and how to overcome them.

"Urban farming under a flyover presents challenges like limited sunlight and high pollution. However, by using vertical gardening techniques alongside the pits, we can significantly improve the local micro-climate," said Satish Kolvankar from the NGO involved in the project's design.

The T1 flyover project follows the success of similar 'garden-under-flyover' initiatives in Matunga and the 'One Green Mile' at Parel, but it is the first to introduce active food cultivation as a core component, he claimed.

Work on fencing and soil preparation is expected to begin next month. If successful, the civic body plans to replicate this "edible landscape" model across other major flyovers in the suburbs, he added.

Vile Parle MLA Parag Alavni, who is actively involved in the logistics with the local authorities and organisations involved in the process, said the project is expected to be unveiled on the occasion of 'Gudi Padwa' next month.