Delhi : Sunder nursery

HERE S A MONUMENT TO nature

Delhis first arboretum, with over 300 varieties of trees, is coming up at Sunder Nursery. It will showcase citys ecological & historical treasures, says Richi Verma


Get ready for a world-class nursery and ecology park in the heart of the city. Sunder Nursery, virtually next door to Humayuns Tomb, is being revamped by Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Once complete, it will be Delhis first arboretum with over 300 varieties of trees. The project will be formally announced on July 12, CPWDs 155th Foundation Day.
Authorities said it was the first partnership of its kind in India aimed at developing an urban park where both ecological and heritage resources will be showcased. There are 140 species of trees in the nursery at present and some like Pink Cedar, Atalantia, Khasi and West Indian Elm are the only specimens that can be found in Delhi.
Sunder Nursery is also home to over 75 species of birds. Were bringing back all the native tree species we can think of that have deserted Delhi in the last few centuries, added sources.
There are also nine Mughal era monuments, three of which are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), within the nursery premises. They are also being restored.
At Sunder Nursery, about nine acres of nursery beds have been prepared and a 2-km-long peripheral road
is nearing completion . The present entrance will be only for pedestrians with vehicles being limited to the peripheral road in the future, said an official. Landscape architect M Shaheer and environmentalist Pradip Krishen are part of the team that finalised the landscape plans.
This project will restore Sunder Nurserys position as the foremost ecological resource for Delhi and create a magnificent new urban park that showcases Delhis flora, bird life and Mughal heritage. We hope the new developments will attract more visitors, thereby increasing revenue, which can then be ploughed back into maintenance of the nursery, said D S Sachdeva , director-general , CPWD. Added Krishen, author of Trees of Delhi and a AKTC consultant : A portion of Sunder Nursery is going to become a miniature landscape that exhibits Delhis native microhabitats imagine a tiny set of rocky hillocks that mimic the Delhi Ridge, and an adjoining wilderness that features a miniature riverine system filled with plants and trees that you might have seen in the Yamuna khadar 200 years ago.
According to historians, Sunder Nursery stands on the historic Grand Trunk Road, between Purana Qila and Humayuns Tomb. The nursery was established by the British to experiment with trees that had been proposed to be planted in the new British capital being built in Delhi. It became a CPWD nursery in 1945.
The three project zones of Humayuns Tomb, Nizamuddin Basti and Sunder Nursery will be connected with walking trails. In addition, nursery related structures such as mist chambers, tissue culture lab, glass houses and a training centre are going to be built within the nursery with adequate facilities to train CPWD gardeners who visit Sunder Nursery each year for training. Specialised spaces are being created for hosting flower shows.


THE PROJECT



SUNDER NURSERY

The 70-acre Sunder Nursery abuts the Humayuns Tomb Complex and stands on the historic Grand Trunk Road. The area has been a significant Sufi graveyard and within the nursery stand nine Mughal period tombs. It is
proposed to
enhance nursery
functions, create a significant arboretum showcasing Delhis flora, carry out conservation work on the monuments to enhance the cultural significance, create new attractions and provide visitor facilities

HUMAYUNS TOMB COMPLEX

Building on the garden restoration of Humayuns Tomb, conservation work will now be carried out on the mausoleum and other buildings within the complex such as the monumental gateways, pavilions and tomb structures. The project also includes integrated development of surrounding open spaces and provision of visitor facilities and an interpretation centre

AMENITIES



Nature trails and heritage walks



Parking for 200 cars on the site



Pedestrian access aligned with Humayuns Tomb entrance



Nursery shop



Educational programmes on environment and heritage



Amphitheatre for musical performances with monuments in backdrop



Space to hold flower shows



ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT



MICRO HABITAT

As part of the project, a micro-habitat zone/arboretum is being created, simulating a microcosm of Delhis landscapes, including kohi (hill), khadar (riverine), bangar (alluvial) and dabar (marshy) zones

PRESERVING VEGETATION

Over 140 tree species exist at Sunder Nursery at present, some of which are unique to Delhi. The proposal is to add a similar number of species mostly comprising vegetation that has been lost in the region

ULTRA MODERN NURSERY

A 9-acre nursery has been established along the northern edge of Sunder Nursery; glass houses, mist chambers, tissue culture labs, a training centre are proposed to be built here. Nursery-related activities such as selling plants, seeds, organic manure, flowers, etc, are expected to continue

BUILT ENVIRONMENT



The proposed Interpretation Centre on Ecology and Heritage in Sunder Nursery will host educational programmes



A cafe is proposed for visitors and a lakeside restaurant for fine dining



Mist chambers will host a large variety of flowers and plants



All buildings will be eco-friendly and sustainable



Vehicular traffic will be limited to the periphery



As part of nursery development project, the historical monuments will also undergo conservation to enhance their architectural integrity