GMDA seeks proposals to work on a Nagar Van
Gurugram The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is seeking proposals to start working on an urban forest — an extension of the Aravalli Biodiversity Park — that will be developed on a 100-hectare land in Gurugram, said the officials on Sunday
Gurugram The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is seeking proposals to start working on an urban forest — an extension of the Aravalli Biodiversity Park — that will be developed on a 100-hectare land in Gurugram, said the officials on Sunday. The authority started seeking proposals for the project, which will be undertaken as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, on Friday.
According to the GMDA, interested agencies, companies or NGOs have to send proposals for the project, as development partners under the CSR Initiative, within April 12.
As per the project description uploaded on the website, the GMDA is planning to develop Nagar Van (Urban Forests) at Sikanderpur or Chakkarpur Aravallis as per the guidelines of Nagar Van Yojana of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India. “It will provide a healthy living environment to the residents of Gurugram, thus contributing to the development of a green, clean, healthy and sustainable city,” it said.
Subash Yadav, divisional forest officer and head of urban environment division, GMDA, said, “We already have a biodiversity park, but we do not have an urban forest which is more accessible to the public. This park will focus on public utilities like a space for sitting, recreation, an interpretation centre for learning about plant species, and development of water bodies for groundwater recharge among others. We are planning to develop the forest over a 100-hectare area near Sikanderpur.”
According to the Nagar Van scheme, the Gurugram authority is likely to carry out activities like fencing the area, establishing and maintaining wood blocks with emphasis on locally appropriate tree or shrub species, theme-based plantations like Smriti Van, Rashi/Nakshatra Vatika, and arboretum.
The officials asserted that Gurugram needs an urban forest to work on issues like decreasing water table and improving air quality among others.
“As the population is increasing, so is the pressure on natural resources. The demand for development of green spaces as per growing population is also increasing. The urban forest on the borders of the national capital in Sikander Ghosi and Chakkarpur will be an expansion of the already developed Aravalli Biodiversity Park in Nathupur, and will act as green lungs for the residents of the national capital region. It will also act as the centre of biodiversity conservation, recreation, water conservation (as recycled water is proposed for plantation activities), eco-tourism, and public awareness,” said a senior GMDA official.