Nagpur Residents Fight to Save Garden
Residents in Nagpur are campaigning to prevent any concrete construction in the local Gandhibagh garden. The citizen-led movement aims to preserve the green space for public recreational use, opposing any development that would diminish its natural state.
The proposed 18-storey commercial complex is a project by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) planned on a design-build-finance-operate-and-sell (DBFOS) basis. This development is slated to replace the existing G+1 Sokta Bhavan building, but residents allege it will also take over a significant portion of the Gandhibagh garden. Initial reports suggested that an area of 68,358 sq ft from the 5.5-acre garden would be used for the complex. More recent allegations from the Gandhibagh Garden Bachao Sangharsh Samiti claim that nearly 68,404 sq ft, which is about one-third of the approximately 2 lakh sq ft garden, has been earmarked for commercial purposes. There are conflicting statements within the NMC about the exact amount of garden space that will be acquired for the project. The citizen group, led by former corporator Raman Paigwar and Congress corporator Wasim Khan, has been actively protesting the move. They have organized demonstrations at the NMC headquarters, demanding the cancellation of the project and a public hearing. Residents are concerned that the project could lead to the felling of nearly 27 trees and create severe traffic congestion in an area already designated as a congested zone. The proposed complex includes plans for parking for 382 cars and 566 two-wheelers. Despite the potential for increased traffic, the project has reportedly received a special No-Objection Certificate from the directorate of fire services in Mumbai, after the city's fire services initially refused to issue one. A letter of acceptance was allegedly issued to a developer on November 6, 2025, granting rights for both development and sale. Gandhibagh is considered the last significant open green space in the densely populated central Nagpur area. The garden is a vital recreational area for residents of nearby localities like Itwari, Mahal, Mominpura, and Satranjipura, with an estimated 10,000 daily visitors who use the space for walking, yoga, and sports. The controversy has also drawn the attention of the judiciary. The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court recently took suo motu cognizance of the lack of designated playgrounds in another city colony, prompting a PIL and directing authorities to assess the availability of open recreational spaces throughout Nagpur. This has led residents to argue that proceeding with the commercial complex in Gandhibagh could risk contempt of court.
