Mumbai: Save Hanging Garden campaign evolves into community-led biodiversity conservation movement

A visitor admires the flora of Hanging Garden during a nature walk organised by Malabar Hill residents. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Malabar Hill residents' Save Hanging Garden campaign, which had its genesis in 2023 protests over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decision to axe 389 trees to demolish and reconstruct the ageing Malabar Hills reservoir, has morphed into community-led nature bonding initiatives involving birding, tree appreciation, and butterfly walks.

These initiatives aim to raise awareness about the natural wealth the garden presents, and mobilise support to protect the flora and preserve the garden.

Pervin Sanghvi, Malabar Hill resident involved with Save Hanging Garden campaign since Day 1

Pervin Sanghvi, a resident of Malabar Hill, who has been actively involved in the Save Hanging Garden campaign since it started, said, "I realised there was a need to raise awareness about the heritage value of this park's flora and fauna. So I began to reach out to a lot of nature-based groups to host activities for whoever wants to sign up for these walks."

Between 2023 and 2026, various groups have coordinated with the residents and organised 13 such nature walks. "A Bengaluru-based organisation, Natural Conservation Foundation, started an initiative called ‘SeasonWatch' at Hanging Garden," Sanghvi said. Trinannual Tree Festivals are held in collaboration with the foundation, which are free of cost.

Visitors enjoy themselves amid the flora of Hanging Garden at Malabar Hill in South Mumbai on Tuesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Meanwhile, in 2026 alone, three excursions called Tree Appreciation Walks were organised in January, March, and August. The latest in the series is a Butterfly Walk, planned for Saturday morning.

The campaign

In September 2023, Hanging Garden's regular morning walkers spotted BMC tree-cutting notices pasted on 389 trees in the open space, including over-80-year-old specimens.

Butterfly species that call Hanging Garden their home

The BMC had originally planned to demolish Hanging Garden and reconstruct the 160-year-old Malabar Hill reservoir after a 2017 structural audit indicated some of its columns and chambers had weakened. The residents then started the #SaveHangingGarden campaign to protect the reservoir and trees in its precinct.

Rare beauty

Gaurav Soman, a Mulund-based naturalist and biotechnologist who is hosting Saturday morning's event, said, "At Hanging Garden, I have managed to map about 40 species of butterflies ever since I held Butterfly Walks in 2024. Residents who click photos and also monitor the biodiversity at this park have spotted around 70 species. Hanging Garden has a very unique personality, as it is surrounded by greenery and is atop a hill, so the air is cleaner."

Scenes from nature walks organised by local residents and hosted by various nature-based groups as part of the Save Hanging Garden campaign. Pics/By Special Arrangement

‘Trying to minimise footprint'

Following the protests, BMC altered its original plan, opting to repair and restore the reservoir. However, while its individual chambers are being restored, water storage in each of them has to be paused, and the BMC said it needs to construct an additional storage tank to hold water, ensuring uninterrupted supply to parts of South Mumbai.

The alternative tank will have the capacity of 52 million litres and will be constructed behind Hanging Garden. A senior civic official told mid-day, "We have designed a tank in an uneven way and shape so as to minimise its footprint on the garden.

However, 80-90 out of the original 389 trees will be impacted. The need of this additional reservoir to store water during the restoration has been ascertained through a study by IIT Roorkee. It will also be used permanently to enhance the storage capacity. of water in the area"

‘It is our responsibility'

Katie Bagli, a nature enthusiast, children's book writer, and botany expert who conducts knowledge walks at green pockets across the city, and who conducted the Tree Appreciation Walk in January 2024, said, "Hanging Garden has a large variety of old heritage trees and beautiful bushes and shrubs.

This is our natural heritage, even though it may not have the stamp of a heritage item such as a building would. They also promote and sustain birds, insects, frogs, and reptiles. It is exactly what a city like Mumbai needs with so much pollution. It is our responsibility to protect this heritage."

Events organised since 2023

1 Loving Meditation for the Trees: December 2023
2 Tree Appreciation Walk with Katie Bagli: January 2024
3 A Morning of Gratitude with the members of Sri Aurobindo Society: February 2024
4 Poetry Circle and Book Reading: August 2024
5 A Talk on Conserving Urban Trees with Robert Fernandes, horticultural consultant: October 2024
6 Birding Trail with Adesh Shivkar: November 2024
7 Butterfly Walk: January 2025
8 Tree Appreciation Walk: March 2025
9 Tree Appreciation Walk: November 2025
10 Tree Appreciation Walk: January 2026
11 Tree Appreciation Walk: March 2026
12 Tree Appreciation Walk: August 2026
13 Butterfly Walk: September 2026