In a boost for Mumbai's access to open spaces and green cover, Shantivan Gardens in Malabar Hill is all set to reopen for the public on February 1 as 'The Nest', a 1.2-acre urban forest that will act as a biodiverse sanctuary for nature enthusiasts. Revived by The Heritage Project in collaboration with nature:re and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the urban forest aims to be a breath of fresh air in the city, which is now suffering not only from declining green cover but also open spaces for Mumbaikars.
 
Ahead of the opening, speaking exclusively to mid-day, Radha Goenka, founder of The Heritage Project and director of RPG Foundation, said, "Just like we have our cultural heritage, we also have inherited our natural heritage, which we need to preserve. When I talk about natural heritage, I mean our forests." We as a city, Goenka says, are fortunate enough to have the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is within our city limits. She explains, "It is unlike any other city, like for example, New York has Central Park, and London has Hyde Park, we have a forest.