Maharashtra puts on hold proposed 2,500% hike in Sanjay Gandhi park ticket charges

The Maharashtra forest department has put on hold a proposal to steeply increase annual ticket charges for visitors to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) following criticism over the scale of the hike.

The proposed revision envisaged increasing annual pass rates for morning walkers from ₹348 to ₹10,000, marking an increase of more than 2,500%. The revised rates were scheduled to come into effect from May 1.

Spread across 104 sq km in the suburbs of Mumbai, SGNP is a protected forest area frequented by morning walkers and cycling enthusiasts. Officials said around 2,500 people visit the park daily for morning walks.

According to the proposal, the monthly fee for morning walkers was to be increased to ₹1,000, while those opting for an annual payment would have had to pay ₹10,000 after a discount. For senior citizens, the proposed annual fee was ₹5,000, with a monthly charge of ₹500.

BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay opposed the proposed hike and said it was unfair to citizens visiting the park for exercise.

“Citizens come to SGNP every morning and evening for a healthy walk. I am opposing the way the hike in the fees has been proposed as this is purely unfair. We will not allow this to happen,” he said in a post on X.