Mumbai: Sion garden's study room still in a shambles

The 'study room' in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru garden in Sion. Pic/Atul Kamble

If you've ever taken a walk across the garden in Sion, you might have noticed a boat-shaped structure in a corner. No, it's not play equipment; it's the study room of children from the nearby slums, those who can't read in their chawls for lack of space. And while the civic body might have turned a blind eye to the basics lacking in the study room, this centre of sorts has churned out some bright minds, who have made a name for themselves.

Meet Lalit Kumar Yadav, 25, studying at the IIM in Bodhgaya; he is one of those who spent most of his college days studying at the room in the garden. A resident of Vikhroli, he used to go the centre with his friends, while pursuing his engineering, for the ambience and motivation it offered.

"I lived in a joint family, so there was no proper space to study in. Hence, I would go to the study room at the garden with my friends. If we went there after sundown, we would take battery-powered lights from our homes," said Yadav taking to mid-day. But the journey hasn't been a cake walk for these poor students, as the civic body never paid any heed to their basic needs.

"The study room was given a light connection, but BMC doesn't take responsibility of its maintenance. So, every time the bulb blows, we pool in money to fix it. In fact, it was us who brought study tables for the space," said Praveen Yadav, 23, who recently graduated. The students also faced a problem during monsoons, as BMC ignored their pleas for a cover; hence, they got plastic sheets to keep themselves dry. Despite repeated attempts, BMC's F-north ward officer, Keshav Ubale, didn't respond to calls.

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