Calling it the biggest gift for Mumbaikars and dubbing it the "oxygen park" for Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said a world-class 'Central Park' will be developed over a total area of 295 acres, combining the open land of Mahalaxmi Racecourse and the Coastal Road.
The deputy chief minister said a world-class, underground, environment-friendly sports complex will be developed in 10 lakh square feet beneath the Central Park. The venue will host international-level sports facilities along with traditional Indian sports such as Kho-Kho and Kabaddi.
The project was announced minutes before the schedule for Maharashtra civic body polls was announced by the State Election Commission.
"This will be the largest gift ever given to Mumbaikars. There will be no concrete construction on the surface of this park. The Central Park will be directly connected to the Coastal Road through an underground passage. No harm will be caused to the racecourse or its historic heritage," Shinde said.
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The deputy chief minister said the Central Park will be connected to the Coastal Road via a 1,200-meter-long underground tunnel, and a Rs 550 crore tender has been issued for the project. "This underground connectivity will help manage crowds visiting the Central Park and sports complex. The Coastal Road parking facility will accommodate 1,200 cars and 100 buses," Shinde said. Shinde stressed the project will create a 300-acre oxygen park for Mumbai.
Key features of Mumbai’s Central Park:
According to a statement, the project will have a 12-acre city forest to increase oxygen levels and reduce pollution; 77 acres reserved for gardens and open concert grounds; 31 acres for botanical garden, indoor concert arena, and convention centre; lush green botanical landscapes and world-class indoor arenas.
The world-class multi-sport arena beneath the central garden will feature aquatic arena, international boxing ring, facilities for kho-kho, skating, gymnastics, basketball, and many others.
