
11-acre Sadbhavana Park thrown open by CM and LG
Chief minister Rekha Gupta and lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Tuesday morning inaugurated the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) Sadbhavana Park in central Delhi's Mahatma Gandhi Road — second in a series of three parks being redeveloped in the Walled City.
'This garden will provide much-needed open recreational avenues in Delhi, especially to the people of Daryaganj and Old Delhi areas. The key features of the park are the chariot fountains, sculpture fountains, formal lawns, shaded eating plaza, and other public facilities,' a DDA official said. Kranti Udyan, the first park in the series, was inaugurated in January this year.
Inside the 11-acre park, there is a sculpture of five white horses driven by a charioteer, set in a circular water pond with fountains, and four magnificent sculptures of 'Yakshinis' (a mythological character), crafted by Padma Vibhushan sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo, are installed within the linear lawns.
The Sadbhavana Park has white marble pathways and sculptures contrasting with the linear green areas divided into lawns and low-maintenance plantation zones. 'A clock tower, currently under construction, will further enhance the park's aesthetic appeal. Additionally, a food van proposed to be operationalised near the parking, will attract visitors and enhance their overall experience,' the official added.
While inaugurating the park, the LG and CM planted a Moulsari tree in the centre of the baradari (an umbrella structure). Other officers planted the Pride of India (scientific name: Lagerstroemia Speciosa) saplings along the pathways.
Officials said that Sadbhavana Park was conceptualised as part of a scheme to decongest Kartavya Path lawns. It is a part of a larger landscape redevelopment project comprising three parks along Mahatma Gandhi road.
'The project aims to become a vibrant urban hub where visitors can immerse themselves in nature while enjoying the amenities of a well-maintained park,' the official said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Fear, anger prevail in Batla House ahead of impending demolition
By Anushka Srivastava, Shreyashi Gupta 'Why were we given electricity meters? Why were water and gas supplies provided? Government agencies came and installed meters, collected revenue, and now, all of a sudden, we get a demolition notice,' said a frustrated Jawed, echoing the sentiments in Batla House area of Southeast Delhi's Okhla ahead of an impending demolition drive. Anger and chaos prevailed in the streets of Batla House on Wednesday as locals feared that bulldozers could come in at any moment. Many locals, who said they had been living in the area for five to six decades, said they were shocked when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) put up demolition notices two weeks ago on May 26, announcing that the demolition was expected to take place on June 11. 'Mera makaan 1978 ka hai… humne koi aur arrangement nahi ki hai. Hume court pe poora bharosa hai.' (My house was constructed in 1978, we haven't made any other alternate arrangements as we have complete faith in the court,' said Sultan, another local. Roshan Begum (75) recalled living in a kuccha in the area since 1983. She and her family recently moved to a pucca house after taking a loan from their relatives. 'Agar ye toot gaya to pata nahi hum kaha jaayenge, aur karza to hume tab bhi chukana padega. Hum to bas yahi chahte hai ki hume wo mile jo humara haq hai.' (If this gets demolished, we have no idea where we'll go, and we'll still have to repay the loan. All we want is to get what rightfully belongs to us).' Her daughter, Naseem, broke down while explaining that they are seven brothers and sisters, each with two to three children. They all live in the same house. 'In the last stage of their life, if my parents see this house getting torn down, they would be rendered helpless and hopeless.' she lamented. Several families also challenged the DDA's claim, asserting that their homes did not fall under the disputed land. A few residents, like Ishrat Jahan, managed to get temporary stay orders. 'I didn't even cook Eid feast this year,' she said. 'I was busy collecting documents to prove our house is legal.' With most people lacking alternative housing options, they pinned all their hopes on the hearing in the Delhi High Court scheduled for Thursday afternoon on the larger petition filed by Okhla MLA and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Amanatullah Khan. When the petition was finally heard, the HC allowed the AAP MLA to withdraw his petition, saying it was non-maintainable. The court passed a general order of protection in a PIL of this sort was likely to jeopardise the case of individual litigants. Khan said he sought to withdraw the PIL so that the Okhla MLA, 'who is a public-spirited individual', can 'inform local residents of Batla House of their right to file appropriate proceedings before the appropriate forum within three working days.' The DDA, however, refused to give any written assurance to the court about the demolition. The HC had earlier refused to grant an urgent stay on the planned demolition. Earlier on May 7, the Supreme Court had passed an order directing the demolition of alleged illegal construction. Subsequently, on May 26, the DDA had put up the notices, which stated, 'The Hon'ble Supreme Court has directed that such action shall be taken after giving 15 days' notice to the occupants of such illegal/unauthorised structures… the demolition program shall be carried out from 11-06-2025 (Wednesday) without any further notice. The occupants… have been duly warned.' (The writers are interns with The Indian Express)


Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
11-acre Sadbhavana Park thrown open by CM and LG
Chief minister Rekha Gupta and lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Tuesday morning inaugurated the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) Sadbhavana Park in central Delhi's Mahatma Gandhi Road — second in a series of three parks being redeveloped in the Walled City. 'This garden will provide much-needed open recreational avenues in Delhi, especially to the people of Daryaganj and Old Delhi areas. The key features of the park are the chariot fountains, sculpture fountains, formal lawns, shaded eating plaza, and other public facilities,' a DDA official said. Kranti Udyan, the first park in the series, was inaugurated in January this year. Inside the 11-acre park, there is a sculpture of five white horses driven by a charioteer, set in a circular water pond with fountains, and four magnificent sculptures of 'Yakshinis' (a mythological character), crafted by Padma Vibhushan sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo, are installed within the linear lawns. The Sadbhavana Park has white marble pathways and sculptures contrasting with the linear green areas divided into lawns and low-maintenance plantation zones. 'A clock tower, currently under construction, will further enhance the park's aesthetic appeal. Additionally, a food van proposed to be operationalised near the parking, will attract visitors and enhance their overall experience,' the official added. While inaugurating the park, the LG and CM planted a Moulsari tree in the centre of the baradari (an umbrella structure). Other officers planted the Pride of India (scientific name: Lagerstroemia Speciosa) saplings along the pathways. Officials said that Sadbhavana Park was conceptualised as part of a scheme to decongest Kartavya Path lawns. It is a part of a larger landscape redevelopment project comprising three parks along Mahatma Gandhi road. 'The project aims to become a vibrant urban hub where visitors can immerse themselves in nature while enjoying the amenities of a well-maintained park,' the official said.


Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
ASI embarks on phase two of Barapullah bridge revival
Once a Mughal-era marvel, Delhi's 400-year-old Barapullah bridge is undergoing a careful restoration by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), expected to be completed by year-end, officials told HT on Monday. Tucked beneath the modern Barapullah flyover and straddling what is now a wide drain, the 17th-century bridge—named after its twelve distinct piers—has begun to emerge from the layers of urban neglect. The two-phase restoration project, led by the ASI, aims to return the heritage structure to its original form after years of encroachment and civic decay. 'We are yet to put an exact date on when phase two will start as the plans are still in the process of being approved, but we hope to wrap up the entire restoration work by the end of this year,' said an ASI official involved in the effort, requesting anonymity. The restoration effort The restoration effort gained momentum following a site visit by Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena in August 2024. At the time, the bridge had become indistinguishable from the fringes of the Madrasi colony in Jangpura-B, its corridor converted into a makeshift market. Phase one, completed over the past nine months, focused on clearing the site for conservation. Agencies including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Public Works Department (PWD) cleaned and desilted the Barapullah drain while removing encroachments that had compromised the bridge's foundation. 'The colony and encroachments that were damaging the bridge structure were removed. About 168 families, whose houses were located in the colony, were relocated to Narela and nearby locations,' the ASI official said. When HT visited the site on Monday, the bridge stood sealed behind iron gates—both to protect the structure and to prevent further encroachment. Officials said these gates would reopen for pedestrian use after the restoration is completed, but the bridge will remain closed to vehicles to preserve its integrity. Phase 2 Unlike the clearing and relocation-driven first phase, the upcoming phase will focus on the structural restoration of the bridge. 'The corridor of the structure is very uneven due to layers of debris that were probably laid down again and again over the ages. It is one foot deep at some places and up to three feet deep in the middle of the structure,' said the ASI official. To understand the original materials and construction, ASI carried out a trial excavation. 'We dug a three-foot by three-foot patch at one end of the bridge to identify the materials used. We found ashlar stones—rectangular, durable blocks used in masonry—below all the debris layers. So in the next phase, we are going to remove all those layers and level the bridge out to reveal and preserve the original surface,' he added. The twelve piers that give the bridge its name will be a key focus. When viewed from the end formerly engulfed by the colony, the first pier on the right and the eighth on the left are visibly damaged and lie in fragments. 'These two piers will be reconstructed. The rest will be repaired, covered with fresh plaster, and restored,' the official said. The history Spanning 195 metres in length and 14 metres in width, the Barapullah bridge was constructed during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir, in 1621-22. Built over a Yamuna tributary—now reduced to an open drain next to Nizamuddin Basti—the bridge once served as a passage for the Mughal court. According to Delhi and Its Neighbourhood, a 2001 ASI publication, 'It [the Barapullah bridge] consists of 11 arched openings but twelve piers, which appear to have given it its name, meaning 'twelve piers.' Each pier is surmounted by a two-metre-high minar.' The book also references an inscription—no longer traceable—on one of the arches, stating that the bridge was built in 1030 A.H. (Islamic calendar) by Mihr Banu Agha, the chief eunuch in Jahangir's court. This translates to 1621-22 A.D. in the Gregorian calendar.