Why Gorai Mangrove Park in Mumbai Remains Shut a Year After Completion Despite Being Ready

Nearly a year after it was declared complete, Mumbai's much-publicised mangrove park at Gorai continues to remain inaccessible to the public, with repeated inauguration delays triggering frustration among environmentalists, educators and local residents. Residents say the prolonged wait has deprived the city of a major ecological learning and eco-tourism space, particularly during the summer holidays when schools and students could have benefited the most.

Touted as the country's first dedicated mangrove park, the INR 33.43-crore project was conceived as a flagship conservation and eco-tourism initiative designed to introduce visitors to Mumbai's coastal ecosystem through elevated boardwalks, birdwatching facilities and environmental education centres. Although officials have repeatedly stated that the park is operationally ready, its inauguration has been postponed several times, with the final decision remaining pending at the government level. Mumbai: Newborn Baby's Body Found in Cooper Hospital Toilet Drain, Police Launch Probe.

Final Inspection Conducted, Opening Expected Soon

MLA Sanjay Upadhyay, who represents the area, told HT in May that a final inspection of the park was conducted and that the remaining finishing work would be completed within five days.

"Very soon the garden will be opened after aligning everyone's schedules," he said. Spread across nearly eight hectares in Gorai, the project was formally launched in 2021 during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government when Aaditya Thackeray held the environment and tourism portfolio. The Maharashtra Forest Department's Mangrove Cell conceptualised and developed the project, while funding was provided through the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC). Mumbai Latest News Today on July 14th, 2026: Pan Vendors Protest, AC Local Glitch & Metro Ridership Record.

The project also received Coastal Regulation Zone clearances from the environment department and was approved by the Maharashtra State Eco-Tourism Board as an official eco-tourism initiative. IIT Bombay served as the third-party technical auditor overseeing its design and construction.

Delays Continue Despite Project Being Ready

The park was originally scheduled for completion by January 2023. However, after missing its initial deadline, multiple proposed inauguration dates were announced through 2025 before the opening was pushed further into 2026.

Officials have consistently maintained that the infrastructure is fully ready for public use and that only inauguration formalities remain pending. Some officials, however, admitted they were unaware of the exact reasons behind the continued delay, saying the decision was being taken at the ministry level.

What the Mangrove Park Offers

At the heart of the project is a 740 to 750-metre elevated wooden boardwalk built through dense mangrove forests without cutting a single mangrove tree. The pathway allows visitors to walk through the ecosystem before reaching a viewing deck overlooking the creek.

The park also includes an 18-metre-high birdwatching tower for observing wetland bird species. Other facilities include a two-storey Nature Interpretation Centre equipped with a library, workshops, an audio-visual room, information desk, café, rooftop restaurant and gift shop.

Officials said nearly 80% of the facility operates on solar energy. Visitors are also expected to have access to touch-based information systems, virtual reality modules on mangrove biodiversity, guided nature trails, kayak routes and an app-based destination information platform.

Environmental activist Milli Shetty said schools across Mumbai had been eagerly awaiting the opening of the park. "Through our clean-up drives in Charkop and environmental networks, many schools have been looking forward to bringing students here and opening it before the schools shut would have been so much better," she said, adding that the project had the potential to become an important public learning space on mangrove ecosystems.

The continued delay has also drawn criticism from environmentalist Zoru Bhathena. "Had it been about destroying mangroves, it would have taken no time to open it," he said.

Mangroves play a critical role in protecting Mumbai's coastline by reducing erosion, supporting biodiversity and acting as natural buffers against storm surges. The Gorai Mangrove Park was conceived as a conservation-focused public space that would combine eco-tourism with environmental education, making Mumbai's mangrove ecosystem more accessible while promoting awareness about coastal conservation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2026 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).