In a significant pre-poll announcement, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday, December 15, 2025, unveiled a grand vision for green infrastructure in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The centrepiece is a colossal 295-acre Central Park proposed at the iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse, set to become the largest urban park in the country.
The Blueprint for Mumbai's Green Lung
The ambitious plan integrates 125 acres of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse with an additional 170 acres of land along the Coastal Road. Shinde emphasized that the park's surface will remain entirely green, barring walking paths, with no concrete constructions. The historic legacy of the racecourse will be preserved, allowing citizens to view horse racing while enjoying the park.
The master plan, presented by BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and designed by architect Hafeez Contractor, includes diverse zones. These encompass a 12-acre city forest, 77 acres for gardens and open concert grounds, and 31 acres earmarked for a botanical garden, indoor concert arena, and convention facilities.
A key infrastructural highlight is a 1.2km underground tunnel, with a tender worth ₹550 crore already issued, connecting the park to the Coastal Road. This network will also link to the Nehru Science Centre Metro station and extend to Haji Ali, with parking for 1,200 cars and 100 buses along the Coastal Road to prevent surface congestion.
Underground Sports Complex and Thane's Green Push
Beneath the sprawling greens, the plan features a massive 10 lakh sqft underground sports complex. Planned as an international-standard facility, it will host aquatic sports, boxing, basketball, gymnastics, skating, and traditional Indian sports like kabaddi and kho-kho.
Parallelly, Shinde announced a series of transformative projects for Thane, positioning it as a major recreational hub. The headline project is a proposed 260-meter-long viewing tower along Thane Creek, slated to be the tallest in India, on a 50-acre plot.
Other major initiatives for Thane include:
- A convention centre at Kasarvadavli.
- A 25-acre town park at Kolsheth.
- An agri-Koli museum, aquarium, and science centre.
- An international-standard snow park and an amusement park.
- A 12.5-acre bird sanctuary and a 25-acre musical concert centre.
- A 50-acre ultra-modern sports complex.
- An 18.4km-long "Anandvan Green Corridor" connecting to Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
Most projects have entered the tendering stage and will be implemented on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.
A Legacy of Green Governance
Terming the Central Park a "300-acre oxygen park" that will help reduce Mumbai's air pollution, Shinde stated this would be the city's biggest gift. He also reaffirmed the Mahayuti government's commitment to infrastructure, noting that all road concretisation works in Mumbai would be completed by May, and sewage treatment projects by December 6, 2026.
The announcements, made hours before the State Election Commission declared dates for civic polls including the BMC, aim to enhance public access to open spaces, create world-class sports infrastructure, and significantly improve the quality of life for residents of both Mumbai and Thane.
