NEW DELHI: THE first leg of the DDA’s ‘cycle walk’ project envisions planting thousands of indigenous trees and transplanting a few species within forests, the urban body said on Thursday. This pro-ecology initiative is part of the government’s climate change resilience efforts to serve the twin purpose of strengthening forests and green cover while creating a safe dedicated walking and cycling track for citizens to “engage meaningfully with the beautiful city forests and master plan greens of Delhi”, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said in a statement.
“Leg A of the ‘cycle walk’ project starting from Sangam Vihar to the Malviya Nagar metro station imagines planting of thousands of indigenous trees and transplantation of a few trees within the forests,” the statement read. In Sangam Vihar, there is hardly any vegetation on the ground except some ‘kikkar’ trees. Through the ‘cycle walk’ project, indigenous trees will be planted along the tracks. The DDA is adding approximately eight acres of new forest land to the city.
The city’s biomass and carbon sequestration capacity will get upgraded as a result of the project, the DDA said. Indigenous trees being planted will also have many fruit trees such as ‘gular’ and ‘pilkhan’ that offer a great habitat for birds to thrive. Nearly 4,000 indigenous trees are being planted. Shrubs and ground covers that attract bees and butterflies are being introduced to strengthen the ecosystem, the DDA said.
“Walking tracks exist within the Jahanpanah City Forest and no adverse effect on the ecology has been noticed so far. The proposed cycle track has a ‘kuccha’ track for walking as well as a ‘kuccha’ track for cycling, planned very carefully, meandering through the trees in order to avoid damage,” the DDA said in its statement.
It further said, “There will not be any tree cutting in lieu of the pathways and reduction of green cover,” it said. “There is no chance of a motorised vehicle operating on these tracks as these are ‘kuccha’ tracks and quite narrow for vehicles,” added the DDA.