Now, shoot some hoops at Baansera, Asita and Mehrauli parks

Officials said the mobile hoops are being introduced to encourage visitors, especially young people and families, to engage in light physical activity during their leisure time

In a move aimed at combining recreation with fitness, lieutenant governor VK Saxena has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to install movable basketball poles with hoops and balls at four of its most-visited public spaces -- Baansera, Asita and Vatika on the Yamuna floodplains, and the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in south Delhi.

According to officials, the poles, each accompanied by two basketballs, will be strategically placed in accessible and high-footfall areas at each location. (Representational image)

Officials said the mobile hoops are being introduced to encourage visitors, especially young people and families, to engage in light physical activity during their leisure time. The equipment, to be procured through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, is expected to be installed within the next 10 days.

“These spaces already attract thousands of visitors daily, particularly on weekends, and the idea is to make recreation more interactive and activity driven. We want visitors not just to stroll or relax but also to play, sweat and participate,” said a senior DDA official.

According to officials, the poles, each accompanied by two basketballs, will be strategically placed in accessible and high-footfall areas at each location. At Baansera, they will be installed near the café and children’s play area. At Asita, on the round lawn in front of the Tent Café, at Vatika, to the right of the main entry and in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, in the open lawns facing the Reading Room.

The movable design will allow DDA to relocate the poles periodically based on crowd movement or space usage, making the initiative flexible and adaptive.

The idea follows the success of similar installations at the Dwarka Sports Complex, where mobile basketball hoops have become a major attraction, drawing steady participation from both regulars and first-time players. Officials hope to replicate that model across the four new sites.

The initiative aligns with the LG’s focus on making Delhi’s public spaces more people-centric and dynamic, officials said. The four sites selected for the basketball pilot already rank among DDA’s most popular destinations. Baansera, Delhi’s first bamboo theme park, and Asita along the Yamuna draw large weekend crowds for picnics and nature walks, while Vatika has become a preferred spot for morning joggers and yoga enthusiasts. The Mehrauli Archaeological Park, with its heritage ruins and green corridors, attracts a steady stream of history buffs and families alike.

Officials said that if the mobile basketball setup proves successful, DDA may expand the initiative to other green and leisure zones across the city, including Sanjay Lake, Dwarka Sector 11 Park, and Yamuna Biodiversity Park.