NDMC develops 1-acre ‘Bharat Van’ using Miyawaki method in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is developing a one-acre urban forest in Lodhi Colony, named ‘Bharat Van’, using the Miyawaki plantation methodology with around 10,000 indigenous plants, along with spaces for yoga, meditation and other recreational activities.

The civic body has described it as New Delhi’s first Miyawaki forest plantation.

The Miyawaki method, pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, involves planting a large number of native species close together in a relatively small area. The approach is designed to create dense vegetation in a shorter period than conventional plantations and has gained traction in Delhi, where the availability of land for large green spaces is limited.

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NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said around 10,000 indigenous plants are being planted at Bharat Van. The plantation will include fruit-bearing and shade-giving species suited to Delhi’s climate, officials said.

The project is being developed with the guidance and support of environmentalist R K Nair, co-founder of the Enviro Creators Foundation. According to the civic body, the plantation is intended to create a dense green patch that can support trees, plants and birds while improving biodiversity in the area.

“The Miyawaki method involves planting a large number of indigenous species in a limited area. With proper care and maintenance, a dense green cover can be developed within a relatively short period,” Chahal said.

Miyawaki-style plantations are not new to Delhi. Several such forests have been developed across the city by civic agencies, government departments and non-governmental organisations.

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One of the earlier Miyawaki plantations in the city was developed by the Union environment ministry in 2020 near the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) building at ITO. The plantation, inaugurated by then Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, had 59 species and more than 12,000 saplings.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has also developed more than 15 Miyawaki forests across the city, according to officials.

In 2025, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced two Miyawaki forests in southwest Delhi, at Kharkhari Jatmal and Jainpur. The projects involved nearly 350,000 native saplings across around seven hectares, according to the government. Experts have cautioned against setting up Miyawaki forest patches in the Ridge area.