NBCCL seeks agency to operate Bharat Vandana park as 87% of work done

Conceived as a “Mini India” park featuring replicas of monuments from across all states, the park is being developed over 220 acres

The NBCC Limited has invited applications to hire an agency to operate Bharat Vandana Park in Dwarka’s Sector 20, which is currently under construction and about 87% complete, officials familiar with the matter said.

The under-construction Bharat Vandana Park in Dwarka in south-west Delhi on April 11. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The NBCC has not announced a specific timeline for selecting the operating agency, but officials said the objective is to ensure operational readiness soon after construction is complete.

Conceived as a “Mini India” park featuring replicas of monuments from across all states, the park is being developed over 220 acres at a cost of ₹524 crore, officials said. Once completed, it is expected to become a major public landmark in Delhi, they added.

“The development of Bharat Vandana Park is progressing steadily, with key activities such as the construction of the Pylon Bridge, civil finishing works, testing and commissioning of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) equipment, and horticulture and landscaping works currently underway,” said an NBCC spokesperson, requesting anonymity.

The park’s construction, which began after Home minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone in December 2019, has faced multiple delays. Initially set to be completed by March 2022, the project was pushed back to an early 2023 deadline due to the Covid-19 outbreak and was further pushed back to December 2023 over environmental clearance issues and structural concerns related to the pylon bridge height. This bridge has now been completed, according to NBCC.

A Delhi Development Authority (DDA) official said they have asked NBCC to complete the work by July 2025, though internal estimates suggest the project may not be ready until the end of the year. “We are hoping the project will be ready by year-end,” the official added.

The park’s layout is inspired by a lotus flower, with nine petal-shaped zones, each serving different functions such as eco-tourism, adventure, recreation, and culture. In total, the park will feature 10 thematic zones. The park will also have 36 replicas of important monuments from all states across the country. People will be able to spot replicas of the Sun Temple in Odisha, Char Minar (Hyderabad) in Telangana, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the ghats of Varanasi in UP, caves of Ajanta and Ellora in Maharashtra, Viceregal Lodge of Himachal Pradesh, Victoria Memorial of West Bengal, Golghar from Bihar and Hawa Mahal (Jaipur) from Rajasthan, among others.

According to the plan, the park will have 10 zones, including the congregational, cultural, Pushpa Kriti Sarovar, eco-sensitive, meditation garden, fun park, adventure park, and lake view restaurant zones.

Each zone is expected to span 10-12 acres, with interlinking elements such as sky bridges, toy trains, walk-along-the-wall features, and boating canals. “We are trying to ensure net zero discharge so that all of our waste is processed internally, especially the horticulture waste,” said a senior DDA official asking not to be named.

The park will also feature attractions like zip-lining, an animal animatronics zoo, a musical fountain, and light shows, along with a tree walk, food plazas, and an elevated restaurant overlooking the lake. Pylon observatories will offer panoramic views of the park.