Blooming tulips draw crowds to Chanakyapuri’s Shanti Path

The tulips were planted across the NDMC area beginning December 27 last year, after the civic body procured bulbs from the Netherlands as part of its seasonal landscaping initiative

Bright bands of red, yellow and pink tulips have begun to bloom along Chanakyapuri’s Shanti Path, drawing curious visitors and photographers to the diplomatic enclave as the New Delhi Municipal Council’s winter plantation turns parts of the capital into a brief spring spectacle.

Tulip flowers in bloom at Shanti Path in New Delhi on Tuesday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

On Tuesday, families, couples and tourists paused along the tree-lined stretch, walking slowly beside neat rows of flowers and stopping frequently to take photographs. Against the backdrop of embassy buildings and winter sunlight, the beds of tulips created an unusual splash of colour in the otherwise formal landscape.

The tulips were planted across the NDMC area beginning December 27 last year, after the civic body procured bulbs from the Netherlands as part of its seasonal landscaping initiative. While plantations were carried out at several locations, including Connaught Place’s Central Park, Lodhi Garden and stretches of Sardar Patel Marg, the gardens along Shanti Path have emerged as the most popular viewing point.

Many visitors said they stumbled upon the flowers while passing through the area.

“I am a tour guide and often travel to Amsterdam, and keep telling my husband that he must go with me to see the tulips there, so we feel extremely lucky to have seen these. It is an amazing sight, and I think this plantation should be replicated in other parts of the city too,” said Maushmi Lokhandwala (49), who visited the stretch with her husband.

Others said social media had guided them to the display. “I got to know about this through social media and decided to come here with my brother who is visiting Delhi. Even though we travelled from Sangam Vihar, it was worth it, and we want to stay here for some time,” said Mohammed Imran (27).

An NDMC official said only some of the bulbs have begun to flower, while the remaining are expected to bloom over the coming days. Officials said 5.17 lakh tulip bulbs were procured from the Netherlands this year, with 3.25 lakh allocated to NDMC and 1.92 lakh to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

NDMC planted 2.25 lakh bulbs across key locations such as Mandi House, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Windsor Place, among others. Officials added that around one lakh additional bulbs will be planted in pots and made available for public purchase.

For now, the flowering tulips — rare in Delhi’s public spaces — have created a short-lived attraction, drawing residents across the city to the diplomatic enclave for a glimpse of colour before the season passes.

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