Now, vertical gardens start coming up at main intersections in Prayagraj

Presently, the work of installing a vertical garden at Subash crossing of posh Civil Lines locality of Prayagarj is underway. Besides, these vertical gardens will be set up at MLN Medical College crossing and Balson crossing soon.

Continuing with the task of beautifying Sangam city and minimising air pollution, the district administration is installing vertical gardens at all major traffic crossings of Prayagraj, informed municipal officials.

Vertical garden being installed at Subash crossing in Civil Lines area of Prayagraj. (HT Photo)

The term vertical garden refers to any kind of construction and support structure for growing plants in an upward-directed, vertical way and thereby efficiently and productively making use of the existing space for food or other kind of plant production.

Such vertical gardens are already in existence in New Delhi and other metros where they have been set up on pillars of flyovers and metro rail.

“These gardens are being installed under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of a private bank. Besides making the city intersections look beautiful, these gardens would also help reduce pollution levels in the city,” said environment engineer, Prayagraj Nagar Nigam (PNN), Uttam Verma.

Presently, the work of installing one such garden at Subash crossing of posh Civil Lines locality of the Sangam city is underway. One side of the intersection has been fitted with the needed frame which will house all the boxes, placed vertically one over the other.

“Workers are busy placing the plants on both sides of the frame which would be irrigated by a network of pipeline using ‘drip irrigation’ technique. Plants having colourful leaves have been planted in these gardens. Besides, these varieties need less maintenance,” he said.

The authorities have also placed benches in front of these gardens so that locals can sit there in their leisure time and relax.

The officials said a huge variety of different designs and concepts are available, including greywater towers, green walls or living walls, for vertical gardens. The reuse of different composts (eg compost, vermicompost or terra preta) from household wastes and reclaimed water (eg greywater) or urine can also be considered in vertical gardening allowing to enhance food production and to close the nutrient and water cycle at a local level.

K. Sandeep Kumar

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