06 January,2026 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | The Editorial
Representational Image
Perhaps one of the most fervent wishes of the citizenry, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections loom, is for more open space or parks in the city. One could call this utopian, given the pace at which âdevelopment' is taking place and infra is coming up, being upgraded or replaced.
Yet, hope springs eternal and we want to see candidates who seem to be in high gear promising prospective voters their service, attention and action if elected, make every effort to add to the open space in whatever ward they will represent.
We are not overly ambitious; what we want is illegal parking cleared out and that sliver or little spot replaced by some green. Even if it is a patch, laughable for a park, we want to see that happen. In a green-starved city, that little bit also makes a difference. Existing open spaces which are unusable for a myriad reasons - either they are barricaded for some reason, or there is debris and garbage piled on them from some ongoing work need to be cleared. Make optimum use of little corners that can be transformed into eye-catching spaces or even a slice of pavement that can do with a facelift with plants on the side.
Make every effort to free up space for locals. That may not translate into a garden, but it can be a soothing little green corner. In 2021, this paper had reported how a dead end of a SoBo road came alive after it changed from a useless debris dump to an aesthetic, green space for the public, with plants and flowers planted in the space, thanks to the collective efforts of the citizens and the BMC.
Representatives do not just become the voice of the people, but the âlungs' of the locals themselves by gifting them a precious bit of green. A whole park would mean a beautiful bounty.
https://www.mid-day.com/bmc-election/
https://www.mid-day.com/bmc-election/know-your-ward
