Mumbai’s first park for specially abled children opens in Bandra West

At 4pm on Thursday, the children's section on the left side of Joggers Park bustles with children of varying ages. Bang opposite, the colourful, new play area is desolate. At around 4.30pm, 12-year-old Ishaan Saxena enters and looks around cautiously. The spinning wheels, perched on a red wall at the end of the narrow play area catch his eye. His mother and caretaker follow.

He's excited to try out the wheels. "Children from the autistic spectrum love spinning objects," says Mona Saxena, his mother. "It soothes them." At four years of age, Ishaan was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

This new space in Bandra West is the first of it's kind, made specially for children on the autism spectrum and those who are specially abled. It is a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative by the I Love Mumbai Foundation, helmed by its president, Rahul Kanal. Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated it earlier this month.

Mumbai's first park for specially-abled and neurodivergent children a bunch of sensory play things, along with swings and merry-go-rounds. All of them are accessible by wheelchairs. Pics/Satej Shinde

There are brightly painted merry-go-rounds and swings, but with ramps for wheelchairs. They are also hung low enough for a child to be transferred easily from a wheelchair. The sensory play has wind chimes to stimulate hearing and soft floor mats for touch. A "U" is created by three metal bars, which hold basketballs within. Children are encouraged to move the balls through the channel to work their motor skills.

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Mona tells us that Ishaan loves parks, but there are few things for him to play with. "All the children fight for a turn on the swings and slides, and he rarely gets a chance to play on them," she says. She would have to take her son at timings when parks and playgrounds are relatively empty "so that at least his anxiety is taken care of". Mona has observed that soft textures and musical sounds soothe Ishaan. As we speak, Ishaan moves from one steering wheel to another, spending several minutes spinning each one.

The basketballs catch his eye and he heads over to the "U". He spends a few minutes pushing the balls through the bars. The visible highpoint of his visit is soaring on the swing whose seat was like a mini hammock, made of resilient fabric instead of wood or metal.

Ishaan studies at ADAPT (Able Disabled All People Together), formerly known as, the Spastics Society of India. "It [the park] presents the ideal opportunity for special schools to bring their children to play in the open," said Frank Soares, who is the BMC-appointed caretaker and in-charge of Joggers Park.

Mona says specially abled children face three challenges in public parks: Being overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and crowds; social anxiety and sensory overload. "He gets overwhelmed with the noise and tries to block it all out," says the Bandra resident. "It's rare to find patience, understanding and sensitivity to let a special child just be and do things at his or her own speed." Even as he enjoyed playing in the park, we noticed Ishaan kept covering his ears to block out noise.

His mother hopes more such designated parks and open spaces come up in the city so that they "integrate our special children into activities that are so easy for a neurotypical child." She recommends a calm, minimal Zen-aesthetic section within such places, where they can withdraw to if the child has a meltdown. Instead of strategising how to rush off from the park, they could just take them to the Zen area.

Soares says a few special schools have already brought their children to the park, and it is most crowded on Sundays. "This section is gradually catching up among people," he says. "Parents are coming and having a look. Most of them are supportive when they are informed about the special section."