Delhi launches Ridge restoration plan; more areas to get Reserved Forest status

New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) The Delhi government on Tuesday launched the Delhi Ridge Eco-Restoration Programme, under which more than 1 crore native plants will be planted across 6,303.55 hectares of Ridge area over the next four years. The notification process for the remaining eligible Ridge areas as Reserved Forest is underway, it said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the programme along with the Mission 70 Lakh Tree Plantation Campaign under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. According to the official statement, about 4,080.82 hectares of the Southern Ridge and 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge have already been notified as Reserved Forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Proposals to notify another 112.328 hectares of the Northern Ridge and 5.88 hectares of the Nanakpura Ridge as Reserved Forests are under finalisation, while a proposal to accord protected status to 400.541 hectares of Southern Ridge Phase-II (A) has also been submitted. According to the statement, the eco-restoration programme aims to plant over 35.51 lakh native tree saplings and 64.96 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo between 2026 and 2030. According to the eco-restoration plan, over 28.56 lakh native plants will be planted across 1,490 hectares of Ridge area in 2026-27. These include over 14.27 lakh tree saplings and 14.29 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo. In 2027-28, the government plans to plant 25.85 lakh native plants across 1,670 hectares of Ridge area, comprising 7.05 lakh tree saplings and 18.79 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo, according to the plan. The plan proposes plantation of 24.43 lakh native plants across 1,450.55 hectares of Ridge area in 2028-29, including 7.09 lakh tree saplings and 17.34 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo. During 2029-30, 21.62 lakh native plants will be planted across 1,693 hectares of Ridge area, comprising 7.09 lakh tree saplings and 14.53 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo, the plan said. Overall, the four-year programme envisages plantation of over 1 crore native plants across 6,303.55 hectares of Ridge area, including 35.51 lakh tree saplings and 64.96 lakh shrubs, climbers and bamboo. The statement said the plantation will follow a scientific three-tier forest model using keystone species such as peepal, banyan, goolar and pilkhan, mid-layer native trees including neem, arjun, jamun, shisham and dhak, along with native shrubs, climbers and bamboo to improve biodiversity, carbon sequestration and natural regeneration. It said degraded forest areas will be restored through phased removal of invasive species such as vilayati keekar (Prosopis juliflora), subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) and eucalyptus before plantation of indigenous species. According to the statement, all statutory approvals, work orders and site preparations for the first phase have been completed. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said development and environmental protection go hand in hand and the government was giving equal priority to green cover, clean transport, pollution control and modern infrastructure. She said the Delhi government had allocated Rs 22,236 crore under the Green Budget this year for environmental conservation, pollution control, forest development and green infrastructure. According to the statement, the government has set a target of planting 70 lakh saplings during 2026-27 and will distribute more than 12 lakh saplings free of cost to schools, resident welfare associations, institutions and citizens to encourage public participation. It said around 24.35 lakh plants will be planted along roadsides, medians, central verges and other public spaces by agencies including the MCD, PWD, NDMC, CPWD, NHAI, DDA and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department under the Dust Free Delhi campaign. The statement said every sapling planted under the programme will be geo-tagged and digitally monitored, along with regular field inspections, to improve survival rates. It added that eight new water bodies will be developed in the Central and Southern Ridge during 2026-27 to improve groundwater recharge, soil moisture conservation and support wildlife. The statement said eight theme-based forests, Panchvati Van, Teerthankar Van, Ritu Van, Rishi Van and Vaman Vriksh Van in the Central Ridge, and Bel Van, Nakshatra Van and Qurani Vatika in the Southern Ridge, will also be developed to promote biodiversity conservation, environmental education and public awareness. The government launched the Green Drive Portal, enabling citizens to book plantation slots, request free doorstep delivery of saplings through 'Vriksh Rath', locate government nurseries and register to participate in plantation drives, it said. The statement said Delhi's first Working Plan for forests, prepared by the Forest Research Institute and approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in November 2025, forms the basis of the Eco-Restoration Plan for 2026-30 and provides a scientific roadmap for restoration and long-term management of the city's Ridge forests. The event was attended by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, MP Bansuri Swaraj and others PTI SGV NB NB