Mumbai: 40,000 sq ft Borivli dumping ground turns into Parliament Park

Talk about making the best out of waste The city is all set to get a 40000 sq ft mega park themed around the Indian Parliament which is being made on a piece of land that used to be a dumping ground in Shimpoli Borivli The park will be named Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smriti Udyan after the former prime minister who passed away in AugustThis park is the dream project of state cabinet minister Vinod Tawde who is backing the space through his MLA fund The park is being built on land that used to be a dumping ground in Shimpoli For the project the area was cleaned three months ago after which construction beganThe plot where the park is being built used to be a dumping groundFor AtaljiTawde said The plot was reserved for a leisure park which was earlier used as a dumping ground I got it cleaned and it is now being converted into Bharat Ratna Atal Bijari Vajpayee Smriti Udyan where people can know about Ataljis life as well as have a leisurely time in the park and libraryExplaining how this park will be different Ramakant Biradar ward officer of the RC ward said Unlike other parks this leisure park will also disperse knowledge about Indian history freedom fighters political stalwarts and the Indian Constitution The blocks will also have projectors to display info on screens This would make the younger generation more aware about the Indian parliamentary systemThe park in Shimpoli Borivli will be named Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smriti Udyan PicNimesh DaveParliament House in MumbaiThe park will have a replica of the Indian Parliament and different sections which provide information about the building the Indian Constitution and the life of political stalwart Vajpayee along with a 3D hologram exhibition centre and a libraryThe land belongs to BMC which has given an NOC for the project to MHADA for the construction of the park Once it is built it will be handed over to the BMC for maintenance Visitors will be charged a nominal fee for entering the park However the timings and fare are yet to be decidedCurrently the construction is moving along at a quick pace with 60 per cent being completed already If everything goes to plan the park would be opened to the public by April 2019 At the centre of the 40000 sq ft park will be a domeshaped structure akin to the one in the Parliament HouseThe plot in Borivlis Shimpoli area where the park is being built was earlier used as a dumping groundDown to the blocksEngineers have designed the structure keeping in mind every minute detail of the Parliament in order to replicate it precisely The whole structure has been made with terracotta partition blocks to give it the impression of the historical heritage building in the national capital that was built in 1950All of the construction has been done on makeshift structures so if we need to make any changes or move it we dont have to demolish it said an engineer involved in the project Along the central dome there are three more blocks of which one will be a library that is being made with wood pieces painted brown to replicate the inside walls of the Parliament House It will have books on freedom fighters the Indian Constitution and the life of Vajpayee The park will also have a democracy building to educate visitors about the constitutional and human rights of the Indian citizens the engineer addedVinod TawdeAnd to aid relaxation the park will be enveloped in greenery As per the plan submitted to BMC the lawn will have flowering plants creepers and avenue trees A Kota stone pathway with a water body in the middle will lead visitors into the parkParliamentary attractionsDemocracy Building This structure will give out information about the Indian democracy and Constitution and citizens human rights preserved under the constitutionExhibition Building Will display tidbits about Indian history the life of Vajpayee and other political stalwarts through placards display boards and presentationsParliament Building This structure would replicate the Parliament House with seats similar to those in a stadium The Central Hall is also being replicated and designed with the use of Indian symbols and varied forms of mesh in terracotta and wood to look like the heritage structureHologram Building There would also be a hologram exhibition centre which will take visitors through the life and work of Vajpayee through 3D presentationsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates