Mumbai’s first public mangrove park, located along the Gorai creek in the city’s northern suburbs, is nearing completion and is expected to open to visitors by December. Spread across eight hectares of tidal forest, the project marks a significant milestone in Mumbai’s effort to integrate ecological conservation with sustainable tourism.
Developed under the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation’s (MTDC) eco-tourism initiative, the Gorai Mangrove Park has been designed to protect and showcase one of the city’s last surviving mangrove ecosystems. The site features a 700-metre-long elevated wooden boardwalk that allows visitors to traverse the mangrove canopy without disturbing a single tree — a model of low-impact infrastructure that experts say could shape future waterfront planning in coastal cities.
A senior official associated with the project described the park as “a living classroom for Mumbai’s citizens,” offering an opportunity to understand how mangroves protect urban coastlines from erosion and flooding. “Mangroves act as natural buffers against storm surges, improve water quality, and sustain rich biodiversity. This park is both a leisure space and an educational experience,” the official said. The park will also house a Nature Interpretation Centre, which will host exhibitions, workshops, and guided walks to deepen public awareness of mangrove ecology. Designed with community participation in mind, the centre aims to bring local residents, students, and visitors closer to the city’s coastal heritage.
Gorai, along with neighbouring Manori and Uttan, has long been home to traditional fishing communities. Urban planners note that the mangrove park symbolises a return to Mumbai’s coastal identity — a way to reconnect citizens with natural systems that once defined the city before large-scale reclamation and development. “Mumbai’s ecological revival must go hand in hand with cultural memory,” said an urban ecologist. “Projects like these remind us that sustainable development is not just about green spaces but about honouring living landscapes.” The Gorai Mangrove Park forms part of a broader 100-acre Manori–Gorai–Uttan Sustainable Leisure Corridor, being revived by MTDC.
The corridor is envisioned as a balanced mix of eco-tourism, nature trails, gardens, and limited recreational amenities designed to support low-carbon tourism. While there is talk of introducing a water or amusement park within the larger zone, officials maintain that the focus will remain on preserving the area’s ecological sensitivity. Once operational, the park could become one of Mumbai’s most unique weekend destinations — a place where leisure meets learning, and where the city’s dense skyline finally gives way to silence, creekwater, and mangrove shade.
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