CPRA Garden

Mumbai has been built largely on reclaimed land, and at the CPRA (Cuffe Parade Residents Association) Garden in Cuffe Parade, land reclamation work is still being done. Using tetrapods, the park is being pushed further out into the water. The new walkway on the right is the land that has been reclaimed.

Previously, this area was inhabited by people who had made homes on the land by creating hutments, but they were pushed out when the CPRA was given the land to develop as a park by the government. The hours of the park reflect the concern that people will return to build houses on the land; the park closes during the daytime and is only open early morning (around 5:00 AM - 10:00 AM) and in the evening (around 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM). The tetrapods are visible just over the edge of the new walkway.

The desperate need for both public space and affordable housing is evident in places like these, where the needs of "formal" housing sector residents clash with the needs of residents of the "informal" sector, who were pushed out. This view (thanks Google) shows the location of the park within the area. A failed attempt at reclaiming that rectangular area of water was made decades ago, and has since been blocked from full reclamation because of environmental concerns. Cuffe Parade was built entirely on reclaimed land.

Tetrapods being stored on the right.

The park was built using private donations from the people living in the area. These signs litter the walkways.