Delhi govt plans to convert 50-acre garbage dumping ground into Atal Memorial Garden

New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The Delhi government plans to convert a 50-acre garbage dumping ground along the Najafgarh drain into 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial' garden having walkways, an amphitheater, a basketball court and a badminton court, officials said on Thursday.

According to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department's (I&FC) plan, under the project a 12-foot-high statue of the former prime minister will also be installed along with fountains and extensive greenery around it.

"An initiative has been taken aimed to transform under-utilised 50 acre land along Najafgarh Drain into a green, inclusive community space in the name of Atal Garden. The project will reflect the former prime minister's vision of development with environment, culture and people at the core," Delhi I&FC Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said.

Total 6,000 trees will be planted, including amaltash, neem, sirus, gulmohar, mango, and greening of the area will be done, the Atal Garden project report said.

"The 50 acres piece of land along the Najafgarh Drain in Nawada Village was a dumping ground for municipal solid waste and C&D waste and was full of dirt due to which the drains in the area were also obstructed, leading to widespread mosquito breeding and foul smell," a government report said. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 9 crore.

The department, which has the primary responsibility for managing flood control effort, has also engaged 66 different types of machines in desilting exercise of major drains having an outfall into the Yamuna river.

"The machines include 16 hydraulic excavators, 18 dragline, 11 back hoe loader (JCB), four trash skimmers, six DUC, two weed harvesters, two amphibious hydraulic excavators, one water master, two mini excavators and four dozer machines," the report said.

Out of the total machines, four weed harvesters have been deployed in the Yamuna river. The desilting work will increase the carrying capacity of storm water drains, potentially reducing waterlogging episodes, it added.

The I&FC department currently maintains 57 major storm waterdrains, including two outfalling drains of Najafgarh and Shahdara. Twenty additional drains were transferred to the department last year. All the drains end up in Yamuna, the report added. PTI SSM SSM MNK MNK