Overview

The biodiversity Parks are unique landscape that serve as nature reserves of Delhi and harbor hundreds of native plants, animals and microbial species living in ecologically sustainable biological communities and rendering ecological services to metropolis. These Biodiversity Parks are first of their kind in the world and serve as innovative models for conserving the natural heritage under matrix of urban development.

The concept was evolved in 2002 when the former Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Vijai Kapoor, expressed the concern about the degrading environment quality and vanishing flora and fauna of Delhi due to rapid urbanization during interaction at the symposium organized at Delhi Secretariat with Professor C. R. Babu of Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, University of Delhi. The concept was originated during this interaction and subsequently formulated and translated into action. Shri Vijai Kapoor announced the development of two Biodiversity Parks -the Yamuna and Aravalli Biodiversity Parks, same year under Delhi Development Authority, an agency known to develop the metropolitan in a planned way keeping in view of residential, commercial, industrial, recreational and environmental needs of Delhi city. The foundation of Yamuna Biodiversity Park was laid by Shri Vijai Kapoor and the Aravalli Biodiversity Park was laid by the then Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister of India Shri L. K. Advani.

Shri Vijai Kapoor was also instrumental in establishing Delhi Biodiversity Foundation and brought 2004 Delhi Biodiversity Foundation Regulations for development and sustainable management of Biodiversity Parks. Since the Biodiversity require scientists, technical and multitasking supporting staff for the development and management of biodiversity and since such specialized staff is not available in DDA, it was decided to have the joint collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, University of Delhi and hence the required staff were recruited by Delhi University for Delhi Biodiversity Foundation for the development and management of Biodiversity Parks.

A total of 6 Biodiversity Parks have been notified by Delhi Development Authority, of which two are fully functional and others are being developed. These Biodiversity Parks are owned by Delhi Development Authority and form a part of urban infrastructure and have educational, conservation and cultural values, besides rendering a wide range of ecological services. In the year 2012, Yamuna Biodiversity Park was dedicated to the nation by former Lt. Governor of Delhi Shri Tejendra Khanna and Aravalli Biodiversity Park was dedicated to the nation by Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Delhi Shri Najeeb Jung, in the year 2015.

The Parks have been developed by a team of Scientists supported by technical and multitasking staff together with the landscape architects and the engineering staff of DDA. Each Biodiversity Park is headed by Scientist Incharge and the Project Incharge oversees the day to day functioning of all the Biodiversity Parks.

The Hon’ble Lt Governor of Delhi starting from Shri Vijai Kapoor (2002-2004), Shri B. L. Joshi (2004-2007), Shri Tejendra Khanna (2007-2014) and Shri Najeeb Jung (2014-2016) have played key role in policy making for notification, establishment and development of these Biodiversity Parks.