Urban hiking trail in Malabar Hill offers immersion into a mini forest within the bustling cityscape of Mumbai
In the bustling city of Mumbai, India, a unique architectural project has emerged to preserve one of the city's last remaining natural ecosystems. The Malabar Hill Elevated Nature Trail, designed by Rahul Kadri and IMK Architects, is an elevated wooden walkway that winds through a 12.5-acre urban tropical forest.
The trail, which opened in March 2025, was proposed as a pro bono project by IMK Architects to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The project gained the support of Aaditya Thackeray, the local government's tourism and environment minister at the time.
The trail's construction features an eco-conscious approach, using sustainably grown Indonesian Teak from Kerala for the walkway and epoxy-coated V-shaped steel columns to support the structure. The design intentionally avoids extravagant extras or bells and whistles, keeping the focus on the natural surroundings. Plans for a glass-bottomed observation deck and a complete loop were abandoned due to expense and potential disturbance to the forest floor.
Since its opening, the trail has attracted nearly 195,000 visitors in just four months, with tickets needing to be booked at least a week in advance. The trail's popularity has been a testament to its success as a nature-led design experience. Entrance to the trail is ticketed for a one-hour slot, with Indians paying 25 rupees (£0.21) and foreigners paying 100 rupees (£0.85).
The trail offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the rich biodiversity of the urban forest, with over 100 species of trees, various bird species, and glimpses of Mumbai's Girgaon Chowpatty Beach, the city coastline, and the Arabian Sea. The trail's design aims to minimize disturbance to the forest floor and surrounding wildlife, limiting access to 200 people at a time.
The Malabar Hill Elevated Nature Trail has sparked interest in creating more access to green spaces and conserving living ecosystems in the city. The local government is considering creating similar trails in other locations, including a 75-acre forest in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Mumbai. IMK Architects are in the initial phase of designing this new trail.
The trail's illumination is carefully planned to ensure no light spills into the forest, preserving the natural ambiance. The trail follows the path of older trails at ground level, blending seamlessly into the forest.
In conclusion, the Malabar Hill Elevated Nature Trail is an innovative blend of architecture, ecology, and urban planning that enhances biodiversity conservation and public access to green spaces in megacities. It serves as a model for future projects that aim to preserve and restore urban forests while providing a unique and enriching experience for visitors.
- The Malabar Hill Elevated Nature Trail, an exemplary project of environmental science, has sparked interest in incorporating more elements of garden and home-and-garden design, focusing on sustainability and minimal intrusion, in the city's urban planning.
- The unique architectural project, which offers a lifestyle experience immersed in climate-change and environmental science, has attracted numerous visitors, showcasing the importance of green spaces in mitigating the urban heat island effect and enhancing local biodiversity.
- As a pioneering initiative in urban tropical forest design, the Malabar Hill Elevated Nature Trail demonstrates the integration of sustainable architectural practices, such as the use of eco-conscious materials like Indonesian Teak and V-shaped steel columns, in our daily life and home-and-garden projects.
