Mumbai is one of very few large cities in the world having a national park within municipal limits. Notified in 1974, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) is a rare green zone in the concrete jungle that is Mumbai. Even this green lung is increasingly being developed, in the guise of improving living conditions for the few adviasis who have traditionally lived in small padas within SGNP limits. The fact is that most new constructions in and around these padas are resorts being constructed by influential politicians for the enjoyment of wealthy businessmen. There is also the growing influx of migrants into these villages, which further endangers the flora and fauna of the Park

Though some part of SGNP lies on the mainland of Thane district, most of its area falls within the island of Salsette (with some part in Greater Mumbai and the rest in Thane district). There are two main entrances for visitors - at Borivali and Thane (Yeoor). The former is mainly for tourists wanting to visit school picnic favorites like the Krishnagiri Upavan or the Kanheri caves. The Yeoor gate on the other hand is favored by morning walkers and nature lovers. The Yeoor walking trails, beginning with the metaled road leading in from the main gate and going deep into the forest, are a pleasure to walk along. Both in September-October (post monsoon) and in January-February (the beginning of spring), I have seen and photographed a wide variety of picturesque flowers

The area in and around Yeoor village has probably seen more land grabs than perhaps anywhere else in SGNP, including a resort that is favoured by MNC IT companies for outbound team building programs. Though to be fair to the said resort, they have not overdone the concretization and have developed some beautiful flower gardens and lawns on their property. But any development within a national park is still undesirable as the exotic trees and plants brought in for the resort can have a negative effect on the local flora. One hopes the forest authorities will take some concrete steps, no pun intended, to stop any further damage to the tropical rain forest ecosystem that is the SGNP