Yeoor forest, a prime attraction for visitors from Mumbai, Thane and other neighboring areas is set to get a makeover. The TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) is going to take up measures to revive the lake inside the forest and beautify its vicinity. Moreover, they will also set up a nature park at Patlipada.
There is an artificial lake inside Yeoor forest which was created so that forest animals can come there to drink water. The 30 to 35 feet lake/pond was dug to help thirsty animals quench their thirst. Moreover, a bore well was dug to refill the pond during summers, when the pond water evaporates.
The lake was further renovated in 2013-14, but it was neglected by the authorities. The TMC has now decided to revive and beautify the lake. On Wednesday, TMC commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and Vikas Gupta, chief conservator of forest visited the spot. "They have taken the decision to revive the lake and to place necessary equipment to maintain good water quality," says Sandip Malvi, public relations officer, TMC. "The work will be done in the next three months," he said.
The lake will also have a seating area for the visitors, a barricade and adivasi motifs will be used to beautify the area around the lake. "All this will be done without disturbing the British structures inside the forest," the officer added. Moreover, efforts will be made for the visitors to witness tribal culture prevalent in the forest.
Apart from this, the civic body has also decided to set up a 4.42 hectare nature park at Patlipada. The plot has been reserved for a garden but as it was under forest department, nothing was done. But last week, at a meeting between state forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, it was decided that a park would be built in that space.
The park will be built as per the forest department rules and famous architect and landscape designer Arun Kumar will design the blue print of the park. After the forest department approves the plan, the park will be built by TMC using their own funds.
