Oval Maidan in Mumbai is at once several things for Mumbai and Mumbaikars. It is an important ground for cricket and has been declared a Grade 1 Heritage Maidan by the government. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai’, it serves as a much-needed green lung and open space in the city. However, not many people know that the Oval Maidan is also home to a successful rainwater harvesting system. Although not visible above ground, this system has been quietly and consistently replenishing the water table and providing water for the upkeep of the maidan for almost two decades.
It all started when residents came together to advocate for better maintenance of the maidan and to oppose many building plans within this area, including a plan for underground parking. The Maharashtra government handed over the upkeep of Oval Maidan to the OVAL (Organisation for Verdant Ambience and Land) Trust, a public charitable trust formed by residents. Nayana Kathpalia, part of the “ladies’ group” that took on politicians and negotiated with the bureaucracy, remembers how it took off. Nayana is a Trustee of the OVAL Trust and NAGAR (NGO Alliance for Governance and Renewal), an organisation that has worked on civic issues for over 20 years.
Beginnings of a campaign
“Though we had taken the responsibility of the maidan, it was not easy. Apart from restoring the ground, we also had to think about maintaining it. We had to plan for the provision of water, which the maidan required for maintenance. There were two options for rainwater harvesting — one, to recharge the water table and two, to collect the rainwater and use it,” she says.
The campaign that began to save the Oval Maidan from development, eventually led to a well-maintained ground for numerous cricket teams, complete with a walking path and an efficient rainwater harvesting system that provides water for its upkeep, all while preserving its heritage value.
Mumbai and its water needs
Mumbai gets its water from the seven lakes surrounding the city. Since there is no separate supply of potable and non-potable water, much of the drinking water is used for washing and cleaning purposes. Currently, residential apartments are required to have rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment facilities, but this is not always implemented.
Each summer, reports of water cuts are routine and are promptly forgotten once rains fill the lakes again. Given how much rain Mumbai gets, rainwater harvesting may seem like the most obvious measure to implement on a large scale. But it’s not so.
Recently, activist Zoru Bathena filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court urging the judiciary to intervene in making rainwater harvesting mandatory in public places.
For the longest time, Mumbai has been draining its excess water into stormwater drains to be released into the sea. Experts point out that this is not only a waste of perfectly usable water, but also puts pressure on the draining systems and causes floods. For years, the BMC has been addressing floods by adding pumping equipment in low-lying areas and tackling water shortages by introducing water cuts in summer.
Amidst this backdrop, architects and urban planners David Cardoz and Nandan Mungekar started developing the rainwater harvesting system at Oval.
Read more: Urging the BMC to harvest Mumbai’s rainwater in public spaces
Challenges and solutions at Oval’s RWH
Nothing can be seen over the ground, explains Nandan, as he shows the maps of the Maidan with markings for bores and soak pits. “There is a shoreline that we followed. The simple principle of water is to slow down its flow. If it runs, make it walk, if it walks make it crawl, if it crawls make it stay. That is how we recharge the water table.”
The award-winning architect told Citizen Matters that he knew there was groundwater, as there is a centuries-old Parsi well in the vicinity. The recharged water table has also been helping the aquifers of the heritage well.
Both Nandan and David recount one of the initial challenges — they were stopped from surveying the area, as the police thought it was a security breach, given the maidan’s proximity to government buildings and the Bombay High Court.
“There were multiple objections, including a proposal to make a drain large enough for a small tempo to pass through. That would then drain the water to small gutters and eventually the sea. We refused to do that. Instead, we mapped the maidan and identified slopes. We used mud to raise the level of the slopes to avoid water collecting in the centre of the maidan. There was a natural slope towards the sea, which is how it should be and we maintained that,” says David, who is actively involved in the planning and development of the Mahabaleshwar–Panchgani Eco–Sensitive Zone.
Women take the lead
But it was the women who led from the front, including Shirin Bharucha and Nayana Kathpalia. They not only opposed plans for development on Oval but also managed to get the management of the ground transferred to OVAL Trust. When it came to dealing with the State and BMC officials, political leaders and sometimes the police, it was the “ladies” who held the fort.
After the transfer, restoration of the maidan began. Once it was done, the main challenge before them was the water supply to maintain the ground.
Purchasing water was not a viable option. The conception and implementation happened within the next few years. It cost about ₹7.5 lakh to put the system in place. Even as the system started functioning, the Trust needed financial help for maintenance, which Coca Cola India provided.
The Oval Maidan is spread over 22 acres and its rainwater harvesting system has helped generate enough water for its upkeep and the maintenance of two more grounds — Cooperage Garden and Cross Maidan nearby. Since the Oval’s rainwater harvesting is based on a recharge system, the water harvested depends on the rainfall received.
Read more: Warnings overlooked: Mumbai floods intensify despite reports and recommendations
Can Oval’s experiment be replicated?
“Not can, it must be replicated,” emphasises Mungekar when asked about the possibility of replicating this system at other maidans in Mumbai. “More than 95% of Mumbai is concretised. It is not just doable but urgently required now.”
In an earlier video interview with Citizen Matters, Zoru Bhatena spoke about the need for increased rainwater harvesting. He reiterated it was ironic that we drain good rainwater into the sea and then plan to bring water from other sources.
While recounting the journey in a Times of India report, the trustees reaffirmed that “the project aimed to make a difference to their immediate surroundings and ensure the purpose of a public open space was fulfilled.”
RWH is essential to avoid water scarcity
Mumbai’s water woes are only going to increase and in the coming years, rainwater harvesting will become a crucial source of water for the city’s potable and non-potable needs. Oval has set an example of how it can be done. Cardoz says there will come a time when water becomes astronomically expensive or simply unavailable and timely rainwater harvesting all over Mumbai could prevent that.
Each open public space has its unique characteristics, which will need a tailored rainwater harvesting scheme designed by experts. With Zoru’s PIL in the court and successful projects like this one, one hopes to see many more RWH systems in Mumbai’s public spaces, including grounds, parks, and even roadsides.
Nayana Kathpalia’s advice to Mumbai residents, who to advocate for rainwater harvesting systems in their neighbourhoods: “Finally, all such open spaces belong to the State or BMC and their buy-in is vital as also the users of the space. To achieve this there has to be a single-minded dedication of the resident stakeholders of the area taking pride in their neighbourhood with no vested interest in working for the larger interest of the city and its citizens and constantly vigilant against encroachments.”
“Public servants are like birds of passage — here today, gone tomorrow, as their service requires. It is only the determination of the residents that will convince the authorities to support such projects. There will undoubtedly be many hurdles, but it’s vital to soldier on. Remember, if you give up—they win!”