The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has began the plantation of greater than 550,000 imported tulip bulbs and the method is prone to be accomplished within the subsequent two days, with the flowers prone to bloom in February, marking the ninth iteration of the tulip pageant in New Delhi, senior NDMC officers stated on Monday.
Tulips in bloom at a backyard in New Delhi in February 2024. (PTI)
This 12 months’s tulip cycle additionally contains, except for bulbs imported from The Netherlands, 15,000 “indigenised” tulip bulbs equipped by the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Expertise, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh), officers added.
NDMC vice chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal stated that the imported tulip bulbs are being planted at numerous distinguished places, roundabouts, public locations and the diplomatic enclave. “This year NDMC has imported 550,000 tulip bulbs of which 325,000 are for the New Delhi area, 200,000 are for areas under the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and 25,000 have been provided to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi,” Chahal stated.
A senior MCD official stated that 25,000 bulbs have been planted up to now. “The bulbs cost us ₹39 per unit. This is the first time MCD is planting tulips in its areas — its gardeners were given instructional training. We have selected 21 parks and offices where the flowers can be planted. The bulbs are treated to break dormancy and sowed at a depth of 6 inches in well drained soil,” the official defined.
Chahal stated that the tulip bulbs have been planted at key places corresponding to Shanti Path, Central Park at Connaught Place, Conference Centre, Lodhi Backyard, Talkatora Backyard, Sardar Patel Marg, Mandi Home, Windsor Place, Shershah Suri Marg, and the Vice President’s Home roundabout.
Moreover, NDMC has efficiently preserved 50% of final 12 months’s tulip bulbs at a particular conservation centre in Lodhi Backyard, from which 22,000 bulbs of assorted sizes have been planted throughout completely different NDMC areas.
An NDMC official stated that the tulips require a minimal chilly temperature of 5°C for 2 months to interrupt dormancy and sprout. “To tackle this challenge NDMC has purchased pre-treated and pre-programmed bulbs that can thrive even in unpredictable weather conditions,” the official stated.
NDMC began planting tulips in 2017-18 with a pilot challenge of 17,000 bulbs. Earlier than that tulips solely grew within the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Final 12 months, NDMC planted 200,000 bulbs of which 80,000 have been planted within the Shanti Path space. The Dutch embassy had additionally gifted 40,000 bulbs to the council, which have been planted on New Delhi’s roundabouts.
In 2022, the council planted 130,000 tulips. The council had arrange one storage chamber in Lodhi Backyard final 12 months and a brand new unit with two extra such chambers is anticipated to return up within the subsequent month.
“Once the bulbs are harvested after blooming in February-March, they can be stored in storage chamber at temperatures varying from 15-20°C for three months till July. They are later kept under low temperatures – 5-6°C – for 10 weeks till the first week of October. Then these bulbs are put in the production chain by sowing them in a growth chamber at 17-20°C to increase their size to at least 10cm,” the official defined.
NDMC to deploy 200 pre-fab buildings for flowering vegetation
NDMC will scale up the deployment of the pre-fabricated construction to show the flowering bloom within the upcoming spring season. Chahal stated that the civic physique deploy 50 pre-fabricated planters (synthetic flower beds) on the concrete central highway of Barakhamba Street. “The horticulture department has designed special structures in their nurseries. These include 50 tree-shaped artistic structures with seven flower baskets, 30 artistic arch-like structures with 13 flower baskets, 55 cylinder-shaped structures, and 22 ball-shaped artistic structures,” he added.
The division will even placed on show flower pyramids, cone-shaped buildings, massive spherical cylinders with 240 flower baskets, and 7 heart-shaped buildings. “These floral and plant structures will be displayed throughout the NDMC area as needed, with the aim of making NDMC a ‘City of Flowers’. Overall, more than 200 different types of structures will beautify and enhance the New Delhi area,” he added.