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The Delhi Development Authority has started an INR 1.9 crore restoration project at the 43-acre Yamuna Vanasthali wetland as part of the Yamuna Riverfront Development plan. The project covers vegetation removal, soil preparation, flooding cycles and plantation of 1,000 native trees and around 50,000 river-grass tufts to strengthen the wetland ecosystem. A contractor has been assigned the work for six months, followed by maintenance for up to three years. This activity builds on earlier land-reclamation measures undertaken by DDA to improve degraded flood-plain stretches.
The Delhi Development Authority has begun restoring the Yamuna Vanasthali wetland with an allocated cost of INR 1.9 crore. The location spans around 43 acres of litigation-free land and has been taken up under the first phase of DDA's wetland restoration plan, which forms a part of the larger Yamuna Riverfront Development programme. This programme aims to improve flood-plain conditions through structured ecological work across multiple stretches of the river. Advertisement
The authority has appointed a specialised agency to carry out the restoration. The initial work includes clearing heavy vegetation and removing invasive plants that have spread across the wetland surface. After the clearing, the soil will be dug and loosened. The ground will then be flooded, and the new growth that appears within 10-15 days will be removed again to ensure that invasive species do not re-emerge. This cycle is planned to prepare the wetland for new plantation activities.
The plantation plan focuses on species native to river ecosystems. Around 1,000 saplings of Cassia fistula (Amaltas), Lagerstroemia flos-reginae, Dalbergia sissoo (Sheesham), Terminalia arjuna (Arjun) and Salix babylonica (weeping willow) will be planted. These species have been selected to support long-term ecological growth. Additionally, nearly 50,000 river-grass tufts, including Desmostachya bipinnata (daab grass), Saccharum spontaneum (wild sugarcane) and Paspalum, will be planted to stabilise the soil and help revive natural wetland characteristics.
The contract includes regular monitoring by the officer-in-charge for the first three months. If the performance of the contractor does not meet the required standards, the agreement may be suspended. Maintenance responsibilities include managing garden features, mowing, pruning, filling gaps in plantation areas, and ensuring adequate soil and manure application. While the primary restoration work is expected to finish in six months, the maintenance period will run for one year and may be extended for two more years depending on the progress.
The current initiative is part of DDA's continuous efforts to restore the Yamuna flood-plains. In its submissions to the National Green Tribunal earlier this year, the authority reported reclaiming 24 acres of encroached land between January and April. The larger riverfront development plan covers over 236 hectares between the Wazirabad Barrage and the ISBT bridge, aiming to turn degraded and previously encroached flood-plains into functioning ecological zones.
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