Does Mumbai Have Jungles?
Being one of the densely populated cities in the country, a lot of people wonder if Mumbai has any forest area? Or is it just a soulless concrete jungle? In this post, I am going to be shedding some light on the geographical area of the city of dreams.
According to a 2019 report by the Forest Survey of India, Mumbai has 157 sq km of the geographical area covered in forest. Out of the 157 sq km of forest cover, only 3 sq km is open forest (OF). Mumbai does not have a very dense forest (VDF), nor does it have a moderately dense forest (MDF). The city does not have land covered in scrubs (also known as shrubs, scrubland, or bush).
Note that Mumbai is a massive city with urban and suburban regions within it. The above information is about the urban part of the city. You will be surprised to learn that the sub-urban Mumbai has a total of 446 sq km of forest cover.
When visiting Mumbai most people do not realize the vastness of its jungle. It’s only when they visit places like Aarey forest and Sanjay Gandhi National Park that they learn about the diverse geography of this region. By the way, most of the jungle in Mumbai is preserved by the government.
Is Aarey a jungle?
Aarey is an urban jungle located in the heart of Mumbai city. It is one of the rarest urban jungles in the world. Recently, the Aarey colony officials handed over 286.7 hectares of land to the Government of Maharashtra. About one-fifth of the Aarey colony — approximately 600 acres— of land is declared as a “reserved forest”.
The government has also published an official map of the Aarest forest declaring it as a full-fledged forest. Initially, the government had planned to build a railway facility in the middle of the Aarey forest but now after stiff resistance from the citizens of Mumbai, the plan is reverted.
To answer the question, yes Aarey colony is a jungle— although an urban jungle. Also, note that a major portion of the Aarey colony is residential and industrial. It should also be noted that the Aarey colony comes within the eco-sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
Where is Aarey forest?
The Aarey forest is located in unit 25 of Goregaon East, an upscale Mumbai suburb. The Aarey forest is adjacent to (or an integral part of) Sanjay Gandhi National Park. This lush green region is home to vihar lake and tulsi lake.
How to reach Aarey forest?
It is about 5 km from the Goregaon railway station. You can reach Aarey forest from another suburb called Andheri (6 km away). The Aarey colony has a total of five buses arriving from several regions. Bus number 452 arrives from Goregaon railway station (East).
List of animals found in Aarey forest
- Leopard
- Rusty-spotted cat
- Sambar deer
- Alexandrine parakeet
- Red-wattled lapwing
- Yellow- greenhouse gecko
- Banded kukri snake
- Civet cat
- Barking deer
- Wild boar
- Jackal
- Flying fox
- Bonnet macaque
- Indian mongoose
- Common langur
Source: mid-day
Source: ResearchGate
How big is Sanjay Gandhi National Park?
According to the SNGP website, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park is 103.84 sq km. Some of the regions include the forest in Thane as well.
It is interesting to note that before the independence of India, this park was known as “Krishnagiri National Park”. The caves (located within the forest) have a 2500-year-old history. The caved portion of the forest used to be a Buddist monastery and later a place for people to learn about Buddhism.
During the pre-independence period, this forest was just 20.26 sq km. Later, the Maharashtra government acquired more land to expand it into a massive urban forest.
Where is Sanjay Gandhi National Park?
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is located in Borivali East, a Mumbai suburb in the Northern part of the city.
How to reach Sanjay Gandhi National Park?
Borivali railway station is the nearest train station to Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The distance between the train station and the national park is about 7 km.
As you can imagine, it is not at a walkable distance. You must take an auto-rickshaw or an Uber cab to go there. The auto-rickshaw/cab fare is approximately 150 rupees.
Likewise, you can drive to the forest via Western Express Highway. The park entrance gate is close to the Western Express Highway. However, you might have to leave your vehicle at the entrance gate.
List of animals found in Sanjay Gandhi National Park
- Spotted deer
- Rhesus macaque
- Bonnet macaque
- Indian hare
- Barking deer
- Porcupine
- Asian palm civet
- Chevrotain
- Crocodile
- Monitor lizard
- Cobra
- Bamboo-pit viper
- Giant wood spiders
- Kingfisher
- Woodpecker
Source: SNGP
When is the best time to visit Sanjay Gandhi National Park?
November to February is the best time of the year to visit Sanjay Gandhi National Park. But if you don’t mind getting a bit sweaty you can visit during summers as well. The forest is a lot greener during monsoon but you should watch out for snakes and venomous insects that come out for a stroll in rain.
Also, note that the park remains closed on Mondays. It remains open from 9 am – 6 pm on other days of the week. I suggest carrying a bottle of water and some snacks as you might not get sustenance inside the park. I have seen some local farmers selling fruits and vegetables inside the park though.
Final word
There’s no doubt that visiting a forest area is fun, especially when you are accompanied by like-minded folks who love and appreciate nature. But going deep into the core area can be dangerous. Additionally, you need permission from the forest divisional officer, says a report by the IndianExpress.
