Growing up in Mumbai, I found solace in the green slopes of Malabar Hill—a rare moment of calm in a bustling city. Over time, I saw these spaces vanish, giving way to urban development.
The Malabar Hill Forest Trail is my response to that. Designed with care, it preserves 12 acres of green space right in the city centre. The elevated walkway allows people to connect with nature while leaving the environment undisturbed, letting the forest thrive and stormwater flow naturally.
In a city where space is often seen through a commercial lens, this project redefines nature as an essential infrastructure. If Mumbai can reclaim forest land in one of its most expensive neighborhoods, what else is possible when we design with respect?
Can more cities embrace design that values nature? It is something we should actively think about.
Malabar Hill Forest Trails inaugurated on March 30th, 2025, by Shri Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Hon'ble Minister of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, reintroduces a long-forgotten landscape into the daily life of Mumbaikars.
One side is a rocky incline and the other is a sheer valley with a view of the city. Tall exquisite trees, creepers and bushes, carpet the entire area.
Surrounded by trees and the sounds of chirping birds, one can hardly believe this little forgotten haven exists in the middle of Mumbai. The Forest trail was conceptualized to extend this experience to the people of the city while still keeping protection of this this environment as the focal point.
Our vision is to create a safe walking track for residents into the micro forest, allowing them to not only understand but also be part of the eco system, all this while causing minimum disturbance to this serene environment. A raised wooden walkway with a central spine of steel structural supports has been delicately detailed to keep the intervention to the forest floor at the minimum. The width of the trail, lighting and materials have been carefully designed to merge with the forest.
We would like to thank Aaditya Thackeray, Sangita Jindal and the Nepeansea Road Citizens' Forum for enabling us to make this vision a reality.
Project Facts
Area: 705m long
Location: Malabar Hill, Mumbai
Status: Ongoing
Client: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
Sponsors: Concept - JSW
Cost: Approximately 10 crore
