670 hectares of central ridge declared reserved forest to restore ecology
In a landmark move to combat pollution and restore ecological balance in the Capital, the Delhi Government has granted Reserved Forest status to over 670 hectares of the Central Ridge area under the Indian Forest Act, to strengthen environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and pollution control in the national capital. According to an official statement issued on Saturday, the notified area falls under the Western Forest Division and covers parts around Sardar Patel Marg and the President’s Estate.
With the present notification of 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge, the current Government has so far granted Reserved Forest status to a total of 4754.14 hectares of Ridge areas. The Chief Minister said that other Ridge areas of Delhi would also soon be notified as Reserved Forests under Section 20 and the process is being expedited.
Declaring an area as a reserved forest brings in strict rules prohibiting most activities unless specifically permitted. The move also empowers a Forest Settlement Officer (FSO) to define boundaries.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision marked a major step towards protecting Delhi’s ecologically sensitive Ridge areas, often described as the “green lungs” of the city.
“With commitment and determination, our Government has declared nearly 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest,” the chief minister said.
The notification would provide stronger statutory protection to the area and help prevent encroachments, illegal activities and ecological degradation, she added.
The Reserved Forest status has been granted under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. In the Reserved areas, activities including hunting, grazing, etc, are banned unless specific orders are issued.
“This decision reflects our commitment towards environmental conservation, expansion of green cover, and securing a safe and balanced future for the coming generations. The process of granting final legal protection to the Ridge areas had remained pending despite their initial notification in 1994 under Section 4 of the Act, she said, adding that the declaration completed an important process that had been pending for more than three decades.
The Central Ridge stretches along both sides of Upper Ridge Road and forms part of the ancient Aravalli hill system, the statement said. The Delhi Ridge is divided into four sections — North Ridge, South-Central Ridge, Central Ridge and Southern Ridge. Together they cover about 7,000 hectares in the city. The Southern Ridge, spanning 6,200 hectares, is the largest by far, covering about 80 per cent of the total Ridge area. It also encompasses villages such as Asola, Ayanagar, Tughlaqabad, Maidangarhi, and Nebsarai.
The chief minister said the Ridge plays a key role in improving air quality, conserving biodiversity, strengthening groundwater levels and mitigating the impact of climate change and urban pollution.
Around 4,080.82 hectares of the Southern Ridge area had been declared a Reserved Forest on October 24 last year, Gupta said, adding that the Government is expediting the process of notifying the remaining Ridge areas in Delhi as Reserved Forests.
According to the statement, the Government also plans large-scale plantation of native tree species, including neem, peepal, shisham, jamun, tamarind and mango, in suitable areas across the Ridge. The Chief Minister stated that the declaration of the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest would now provide stronger statutory protection to the region. This would help prevent encroachments, illegal activities, and ecological degradation. It would also strengthen conservation and scientific management initiatives being undertaken by the Forest Department in Delhi’s Ridge areas. Between 1994 and 2025, only 103 hectares of the 7,777 hectares of Ridge land had been officially notified as reserved forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
