Keep Mumbai’s Parks, Gardens and open spaces Open: 5 am - 11 pm 

Because open spaces should welcome us all day, every day.

Imagine taking a break at 2 pm, or stepping out with your child in the afternoon—only to find your neighbourhood park or garden locked. In one of the world’s most crowded cities, where Mumbai barely has 1.2 sqm of open space per person, shutting people out of parks for hours each day is unfair and unhealthy. Parks are our only breathing spaces, and they must remain open and accessible from 5 am to 11 pm - every day, for everyone.

Why this matters

Mumbai’s residents already struggle with one of the lowest open-space ratios in the world. Parks are essential for exercise, play, relaxation, mental health, and community life. Midday closures and arbitrary restrictions hurt shift workers, students, children, seniors, commuters and anyone who simply wants access when they need it most. Open parks mean a healthier, more inclusive, and more liveable city. 

We call on the BMC, the richest municipality in India to:

1. Keep ALL public parks, gardens and open spaces open daily from 5 am–11 pm - no midday closures, no arbitrary restrictions. Pre-work outdoor workouts/walks, mid-day breaks/meetings in the park and post dinner strolls should be available to all of us.

2. Apply the rule uniformly across EVERY ward - so every citizen enjoys equal access.

3. Provide CLEAR, signage with uniform timings at EVERY park entry and mention complaint channels - so rules are transparent and accountability is possible.

4. Ensure inclusivity in our parks by:

-Removing unnecessary, outdated restrictions (like “keep off the grass”, "no access to the park if it rains").

-Adding ramps, pathways, and amenities for the elderly and the disabled.

-Allowing designated hours and areas for pets and cycles, wherever possible, at least 2 parks per ward.

-Clean, well-maintained toilets and basic facilities like drinking water 

Our message is simple

Mumbai cannot afford to keep its scarce green spaces locked away.
Parks are not luxuries - they are lifelines for children, seniors, working people, and everyone who needs a safe place to breathe, walk, play, study or simply be. By keeping them open 5 am-11 pm every day, the BMC can take one simple step towards a healthier, more liveable city.

👉 Sign this petition today and share it widely. Together, we can make sure our parks, gardens and promenades stay open—for all of us!

https://www.change.org/p/keep-mumbai-parks-gardens-and-open-spaces-open-5am-11pm

Love Your Parks Mumbai
Bombay Greenway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little background:  

What the BMC Promised

Directive 1 – August 27, 2019
After a citizen interaction at BMC headquarters on August 27, 2019 (attended by @LYPMUMBAI, Bombay Greenway and NAGAR NGOs with Mr. Ashutosh Salil, Joint Municipal Commissioner), the BMC issued a circular mandating that: 
-All public open spaces remain accessible from 6 am to 10 pm, with maintenance in staggered shifts.
-At least one park per ward remain open 24x7. (see the BMC Garden Department public announcement on its official fb channel on 27 Aug 2019)

Directive 2 – August 21, 2021
Following COVID-19 park closures, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal reinstated the 6 am–10 pm order for parks and gardens.

Directive 3 – March 6, 2023
The BMC revised timings further:

Weekdays: 5 am–1 pm and 3 pm–10 pm (14 hours)
Weekends & Public Holidays: 5 am–10 pm (17 hours)

!!! But this is actually a step back from earlier directives, which had kept  gardens open through the day—every day.

!!! Also, the reality on the ground is very different to what we have on paper.

Despite these clear directives, most parks still:

-Do not follow mandated timings, open late and shut early, creating confusion and denying access when we need it the most.

-Set their own arbitrary rules. ONE CITY, ONE PARK. No arbitrary rules in certain parks.

Mumbai’s large floating population includes shift workers, students, and caregivers who need flexible hours. Someone finishing work/school at noon should be able to step into a park and unwind, play, study—not find it locked. Parks should never be shut during the day. They are the only inclusive, accessible relief our city offers. 

 
Some numbers, to put things in perspective

Mumbai has over 20 million residents but only 1.2 sq. m. of open space per person—barely the size of a yoga mat. Compare this with:

London: ~32 sq. m per person
New York: ~27 sq. m per person
Singapore: ~39 sq. m per person

When parks are arbitrarily shut, the little we have is taken away.

Useful links:

BMC will keep gardens open 6am-10pm daily - Aug 29,2019

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday decided to increase the timings of its gardens, and said they will be open for 16 hours daily, between 6am and 10pm. 

The gardens that will be open for 16 straight hours include those developed on land owned by the civic body. Ashutosh Salil, joint municipal commissioner, BMC, said, “We have decided to keep the gardens open for 16 hours in a day, and the issue of maintenance can be resolved simultaneously. In case of some gardens we may consider keeping them open 24x7.”

The BMC’s decision comes after several citizen groups suggested the civic body keep garden timings flexible for citizens, considering their working hours and travel pattern. The BMC is currently drafting a policy on the upkeep of 1,068 gardens and playgrounds in the city, and has got nearly 300 suggestions from citizens. It had organised a citizen interaction session on Tuesday.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the BMC’s garden department said, “Dear Mumbaikars - First things first, we are happy to share that all the BMC gardens will stay open (unlocked) from 6 am (in the morning) till 10 pm (at night). This should help all Mumbaikars get access to the gardens, long before and even after their day at work.” The post added, “We have conveyed this message to all teams at all BMC gardens — however, it may take some time for the message to percolate. In case the team is not aware, kindly show them this message from this official FB page. They are simple and well-meaning people — so please be patient with them.”

Earlier, questions had been raised over the maintenance of the gardens if they are kept open for long hours. However, now the BMC has decided to barricade the portions where maintenance work is going on and keep the rest of the garden open for public use.

 

Mumbai's parks, gardens, beaches to remain open 6 am to 10 pm, Aug 16, 2021

All public gardens, playgrounds, chowpatties and beaches in Mumbai will now remain open from 6 am to 10 pm as part of fresh relaxations in COVID-19 restrictions, municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said on Monday.

gardens to be open 5 am-1pm and 3pm-10 pm on weekdays, 5am to 10 pm on weekends and public holidays - Mar, 17, 2023

Gardens to be open 5am-1pm and 3pm-10pm on weekdays and 5am-10pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Given Mumbai’s high-population density, public open spaces give succour to people who want to unwind. A large section of the population works late hours, and the BMC has done well to keep parks and gardens open till 10 pm (at least on paper). It is a welcome move. However, BMC should reconsider its decision to keep these parks shut from 1 to 3 pm. This is a time when citizens prefer to sit under a tree, kids come back from school and need to be outdoors.

Call to Action

Let’s reclaim Mumbai’s green spaces—a promise already made by the BMC, yet to be honoured.

This is about the right to breathe, play, and rest in our city—don’t let it be taken away.