L-G inaugurates DDA’s park ‘Vaishnavi’ at Ashok Vihar-II

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday inaugurated the DDA’s 10 acre park ‘Vaishnavi’ at Ashok Vihar-II area promoting urban green spaces in the national Capital, officials said.

It is one of the first sites of DDA greens that the L-G had visited after taking oath in May 2022 and had instructed that the garbage laden and construction and demolition waste covered land to be developed into an aesthetically pleasing public park, according to a statement by the DDA.

Speaking on the occasion, Saxena said the foundation stone of the park was laid in December last year and it has been completed in 20 months.

“Today, a beautiful park ‘Vaishnavi’ of the DDA has been inaugurated. Its foundation stone was laid in December last year and I am happy to inaugurate it. It has been built at a cost of around Rs 5.5 crore in 10 acres,” said Saxena.

“When I first came here, it was a very filthy area and it was difficult to even stand here. But today this beautiful park has been built by the DDA and I am sure that local people will use it, enjoy it and also maintain it,” he added.

Making a park is one thing, but it is the responsibility of the local people to maintain it. The DDA will do it, but if local people will do it then definitely this park will always be maintained, said Saxena.

The DDA is doing this type of work at various places in the city. Many new parks have been built and more are being built, he added. ‘Vaishnavi’ is a 10-acre urban park where around 12,000 shrubs and 460 trees are planted. Some of the plants species include bahunia, jacaranda neriifolia, niligulmohar, chorisia speciosa, lagestromia/ molsari and alastonia, the statement said.

One half of the central plaza is the Navgrah Vatika, where plants associated with the nine planets were planted on Tuesday. The concept is explained on the signages which will help the public, mainly youth, to learn and appreciate the ancient Indian knowledge of the grahas and their association with the plants, it said.

A method of natural creation of the landscape is used throughout the whole design, attempt to return the natural scenes to life involving citizens and people. The curves of the mountains and river valleys and the folds of the land are incorporated into the design, the statement said.

The park will act like an integrated centre where the city dwellers and tourists will be provided with hands-on opportunity to interact with nature through connected activities, it said.

There are spaces created for different age groups where there are two multi purpose areas at the far ends,

smaller scale spaces in the front which can be utilised for swings. Interactive sound equipment, a dynamic tree, a lyrical geometry sculptures and water fountain are provided to create points of interest, it stated.