Marigold, ixora flowers to beautify key stretches in Delhi for G20

Plantation will be done mainly along Sardar Patel Marg and Rajghat – two locations dignitaries will be visiting and passing through during the summit

Two flowering species — the bright yellow marigold and the crescent-red ixora — will be used to beautify several key stretches from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport to Rajghat as part of preparation for the G20 Summit, officials in the forest and wildlife department said.

Agencies are decking up roads leading up to the airport. (HT Archive)

A total of 130,000 saplings will be procured for the two flowering species, with plantation to be done primarily along Sardar Patel Marg and Rajghat – two locations dignitaries will be visiting and passing through during the summit to held in Capital during the second week of September. In addition to these flowers, around 50,000 golden duranta hedges are also being procured to create uniform greenery on footpaths on both sides of the roads.

“We have identified these two flowers in particular. Rajghat already has a lot of ixora plants and more will be added on the stretches leading up to Rajghat. The aim is to cover roadside areas that fall under the department, which include parts of the Ridge and deemed forests as well,” said a senior forest official, who requested anonymity.

Roads leading up to the airport are already being decked up by agencies such as the state Public Works Department (PWD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The department said all agencies were working in collaboration to plant flowering species.

“Since there are different land-owning agencies involved, we will be planting on green patches till Rajghat in central and south Delhi. The marigold and ixora plants will also be planted on pots. Sardar Patel Marg is a prominent stretch being covered,” the official said.

A second forest official said the tender notice was floated last Saturday and will be awarded on Friday, after which plantation can commence.

“The flowers will be ready by the last week of August and will add to the existing greenery and flowering species being planted by other agencies on their own land. Golden duranta are shrub-level hedges which is part of this beautification,” said the official.

The department in the first week of June began clearing part of the Central Ridge along Sardar Patel Marg to plant flowering trees, aimed at both improving aesthetics of the road for the G20 summit and for long-term beautification. The species included chinar (Platanus orientalis), gulmohar (Delonix regia), jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), amaltas (Cassia fistula) and bougainvillea. The chinar failed to survive the process, with the remaining species growing fairly well, officials said.

Another aspect the department has been focusing on is keeping rhesus macaque monkeys away from the footpaths that run along Sardar Patel Marg and Mother Teresa Crescent – stretches that will be used by dignitaries during the summit. For this, around five feeding points have been set up deep inside the forest area, where they are fed a mixture of grams, peanuts and fresh fruits every day.