Navi Mumbai: In the midst of the urban sprawl of CBD Belapur is an oasis of lush green and cool comfort – a testament to the collective spirit of residents of sector 9 and their relentless pursuit to make the natural environment better for generations to come.

CBD Agro Garden, one of the most popular green spaces of Navi Mumbai, is the result of the ‘shramdaan’ of 100 environmentally conscious residents.

“It was 1995, when CIDCO allotted the plot admeasuring about 9507 sq mtr for the purpose of growing vegetables and fruits,” Capt SN Pawnday, one of the founder members, informs. More than altruism, the nodal agency had a vested interest, to keep encroachers at bay.

“We transformed the barren unfertile land into a garden within five years. To ensure sustainability, the residents formed the CBD Residents’ Agro Society, a non-profit. In 2001, it was formed into a registered society, the CBD Residents’ Agro Society,” Pawnday said.

Today, the park comprises a botanical garden, butterfly park, a mini forest, a vegetable cultivation and plantation area, a Nana-Nani park and children’s playground. 

“Major part of the plot has been terraced to prevent soil erosion and make it suitable for plantation and vegetable cultivation. An open well sustains the greenery. Over the years, pipes have been laid, a pump that runs on electricity installed for irrigation, installed lights and the perimeter fenced,” Pawnday informs.

Butterfly Park, developed in 2013, was the first of its kind in entire Navi Mumbai, another member Dr S Bhagwat, a professional botanist, shares. “We have planted two types of plants ‘nectar host’ and ‘larva host’ to attract butterflies and at present around 150 kinds of butterflies are seen in this garden.

“We want to use the garden to educate people about nature and thereby create environmental awareness,” Juee Khopkar, a senior member, said.

Towards this end, the members started ‘Basantotsav’ in 2018   

The gardens have now matured and thrives with organic vegetables, creepers, flowering and nectar plants and several fruit trees like mangoes, sapota, banana, etc. It is home to orchids like Epidendrum and small ornamental trees like Bixa.

To raise funds to sustain the activities, the society sells vegetables and fruits among the residents. 

A small pond with lotus and lily has been developed inside the garden. A seating corner offers a vantage view of the rising and setting sun. The fruit orchards prove ideal to host group activity like playing drums together.