Once choked by sewage and urban encroachments stretches of the Yamuna floodplains are showing signs of life lotus ponds glisten, dragonflies skim the surface, and migratory birds return. Over the past two decades, 11 restoration projects between Wazirabad and Okhla have sought to revive the riverbanks balancing ecological conservation with public access.
Yamuna Biodiversity Park: A Model of Wild Restoration
Spread over 457 acres in Wazirabad, this park was established in 2002 by the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). It restores wetlands, grasslands, and forest mounds to simulate native Yamuna basin ecosystems. Wildlife has rebounded even leopards have been recorded in camera traps.
Dr. Faiyaz Khudsar, who works with the park, notes, “Biodiversity parks conserve river ecosystems, not just aesthetics. They provide ecological goods and services like pollination and seed dispersal.”
Kalindi Biodiversity Park: Cleaning Water, Attracting Birds
Along Sarai Kale Khan this 115-hectare wetland, developed since 2019, filters untreated sewage through oxidation ponds, rock beds, and dense stands of cattails and reeds. Over 125 bird species, including migratory visitors from Europe and Central Asia, now use the site.
However, invasive water hyacinth threatens the wetland, choking oxygen and obstructing flow. Chief scientist Yasir Arafat says that if managed, “Kalindi could attract more migratory birds than Bharatpur Sanctuary.”
Baansera Park: A Recreational Turn
Opened in 2023, this 2.2-hectare bamboo-themed park on reclaimed debris land features paved walkways, bamboo groves, play areas, and even an air-conditioned café. While it follows National Green Tribunal (NGT) no-permanent-construction norms, its focus leans more toward visitor amenities than ecological restoration.
Along the eastern bank between the Old Railway Bridge and ITO, Asita Park blends wetlands, reedbeds, grasslands, and lotus ponds. Once overrun by farms and squatter colonies, it now hosts dense native vegetation. Seasonal flooding has tested plant resilience, but officials say 80% of species have survived. Recreational use is limited to protect wildlife.
Inaugurated in early 2025 near the Commonwealth Games Village, this 115-hectare park aims to combine native plantations with freedom-struggle-themed trails. However, maintenance lapses have left some areas overgrown and initial plantings unsuited to floodplain conditions. The DDA has pledged to improve upkeep.