BMC to adorn Mazgaon park with glitzy wonders

A city-based garden would soon have the replicas of seven wonders of the world. The civic garden in Mazgaon named ‘Joseph Baptist’ will soon become a favourite tourist destination for Mumbai after Hanging Garden and Byculla zoo.

According to a senior civic officer from the BMC, the garden department is planning to place the replicas of iconic monument also known as seven wonders of the world to attract more tourists there.

“The garden gives splendid view of South Mumbai area and it is just 100 metres away from the Arabian sea. Many schools take their children to this place for one-day picnics,” he added.

He further stated, “The garden is a favourite place for study tours for various schools. Hence, world famous iconic monument replicas like Eiffel Tower of Paris, Leaning Tower of Italy, New York's Statue of Liberty and India’s Taj-Mahal monuments will be placed weighting just 10 Kilogram (Kg) each, made of fibre in the garden.

It will cost the BMC around Rs 2.6 crore and the project will get completed by May 2018 on the set deadline. Another officer from garden department stated, “Currently the tender process has been started and soon after the bidding packets will be disclosed and the work order to the contractor shall be given. Once work order is given within next six months the beautification project should complete, is what been expected.”

It is the brainchild of Shiv Sena’s former corporator Yamini Jadhav of the Mazgaon civic ward. With the constant demand for open spaces in the city, the idea was put forth claimed Yamini Jadhav’s husband Yashwant Jadhav, the present Corporator of BMC who is looking after the project. Jadhav said, “My wife during her tenure visited Pune city as there is one garden which has seven wonders concept. In Mumbai, no such garden is conceptualised as such.”

He further added that the garden is built on a reservoirs which provides fresh drinking water to the South Mumbai residents. “In the year 2010 the garden was renovation completely like toilets constructed, a separate point for senior citizens, study point was made. Now the project will include placing these seven wonder replicas. In addition, colourful illuminating lights will also be put and the garden will be free of cost for visitors,” said Jadhav.