Historic pond in Greater Noida village to be restored as green public space

The revamp will include desilting the pond, strengthening its embankments, and landscaping the periphery with native plants

The Greater Noida authority is planning to revamp the ancient pond, green zone, and a temple in Bhola Rawal village, officials said on Friday, adding that the site will be developed into an eco-tourism destination.

The pond in Greater Noida’s Bhola Rawal village. (Sunil Ghosh /HT Photo)

The authority’s additional chief executive officer Prerna Singh conducted a field visit on Thursday to review the ongoing development works in various parts of the region and issued directives for the restoration of the village’s traditional water body. “The pond in Bhola Rawal holds both ecological and cultural significance. Its rejuvenation is a step towards promoting environmental sustainability while preserving the village’s heritage. Our aim is to create a clean, green, and inclusive public space that benefits both residents and visitors,” Singh said.

The revamp will include desilting the pond, strengthening its embankments, landscaping the periphery with native plants, and creating eco-friendly sitting spaces for visitors. The adjoining temple, said to be several centuries old, will also be restored as part of the integrated green development plan, officials said.

Further, officials said the project will be funded under the authority’s green infrastructure initiative. The first phase is expected to commence soon, focusing on cleaning and strengthening the pond structure, while landscaping and eco-tourism elements will follow in a phased manner.

Inspections were also conducted at Bhanauta village, where an under construction cremation ground was inspected. Officials were directed to add a shaded structure for the comfort of villagers while other civic infrastructure was reviewed.

Besides, the proposed 80-metre, 60-metre and 24-metre wide road alignments in Ecotech 16 were also inspected. These roads are integral to Greater Noida’s infrastructure development strategy, aimed at enhancing connectivity and supporting the region’s industrial growth. These roads have received approval from the authority’s chief executive officer, and the process of land acquisition is currently underway, said officials.