South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to develop vertical gardens on the pillars of flyovers under its jurisdiction. The civic body has selected six flyovers in the first phase namely lajpat Nagar, Andrews Ganj, Sarai Kale Khan, Kalkaji, Nehru Place and Raja Garden.
A senior SDMC official said that the decision to develop vertical gardens on pillars under flyovers was taken on Wednesday in a high level meeting chaired by the SDMC Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat and attended by the Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel and other senior officers.
SDMC Commissioner, Dr. Goel instructed the horticulture department to sincerely implement the project as it will also be monitored by lieutenant Governor. The project will play an important role in combating fast increasing pollution, he said.
The corporation has formulated an action plan to develop vertical gardens over 142 pillars of about a dozen flyovers in a phased manner, SDMC Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said.
She further stated that the project of vertical gardens is of paramount importance to the capital city as host of departments and agencies are involved in giving a pleasing look to Delhi.
The Mayor further said that our action plan is in accordance with the efforts of Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs to check air pollution, especially dust pollution.
Delhi generates over 131 ton of dust every day which is one of the leading causes of the degrading air pollution in the capital.
A variety of ferns, focus species, ribbon grass and blade grass will adorn these vertical gardens.
The vertical garden are being planned in two ways in which plastic pots is hung over plastic frames and another with a coco-pit-based medium for plants with a bigger root system.
Earlier, the civic body had taken an initiative to develop spaces underneath the referred flyovers on the major roads owned by the 'Public Works Department' (PWD) with an aim to provide a soothing feeling to the pedestrians and passengers in the buses and private vehicles with addition of greenery, public art and attractive lighting there.