22 May,2026 01:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The park is spread over approximately eight hectares and developed at a cost of around Rs 33.43 crore by the mangrove cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department. FILE PIC
The much-anticipated inauguration of Maharashtra's first dedicated mangrove park in Gorai, Borivali, has been deferred once again. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Sanjay Upadhyay, representing the Borivali Assembly Constituency, announced the delay via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, citing incomplete critical infrastructural and structural works.
The grand opening of the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mangrove Park in Mumbai, originally scheduled for May 28, 2026, will now be held in the first week of June 2026, he informed.
"Prioritising the safety of citizens and ensuring quality workmanship, the inauguration ceremony will be organised only after all the works in the park are completed to perfection," Upadhyay stated in his message.
On Wednesday, Upadhyay had stated that the park would be inaugurated at 10.30 am on May 28 in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister and North Mumbai Member of Parliament (MP) Piyush Goyal. State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar, Additional Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and former MP Gopal Shetty were also expected to attend the event.
The park, spread over approximately eight hectares and developed at a cost of around Rs 33.43 crore by the mangrove cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department, is touted as a pioneering eco-tourism and conservation education hub in the state. Key features include a 740-metre elevated wooden boardwalk winding through the mangroves, a bird-watching tower, and a Nature Interpretation Centre aimed at promoting awareness about Mumbai's vital coastal ecosystem. The project, initiated in 2021, was first expected to open in 2023 but has faced repeated postponements due to pending administrative approvals, finishing works, and scheduling issues involving dignitaries.
The mangrove ecosystem in Gorai plays a crucial role in coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration amid Mumbai's growing urban pressures.
Once operational, the park is expected to become a major attraction for Mumbaikars and tourists alike, offering an educational experience on mangrove ecology while boosting sustainable tourism in the western suburbs.
8-hectare park in Gorai, Mumbai
A 740-metre boardwalk built without cutting mangroves
Guided mangrove trails with trained naturalists
Bird observatory for coastal and mangrove species
Touch-based VR system on mangrove flora and fauna
Approved Eco-Tourism Project by Maharashtra State Eco-Tourism Board.
