The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) has rolled out an ambitious twin-project plan to significantly boost the city's green cover and public infrastructure. The civic body will construct a 650-metre long skywalk through the forested Sai Upvan area and develop a sprawling 64-acre Hindon Biodiversity Park nearby. The combined estimated investment for these eco-friendly initiatives stands at over Rs 20 crore.
Skywalk and Sports Hub at Sai Upvan
Officials have announced that the proposed skywalk in Sai Upvan will stretch for 650 metres and is budgeted at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. This elevated walkway is designed to provide a serene, pollution-free passage for pedestrians through the green canopy. In addition to the skywalk, the park area will be upgraded with new sports facilities, including courts for basketball and the rapidly growing sport of pickleball.
An official from GMC highlighted the strategic importance of the location, stating, "The site is in close proximity to DME and Shaheed Sthal New Bus Stand Metro Station and Meerut tri-section. With a heavy traffic influx, the site is a high pollution area. Apart from Sai Upvan, the site is also close to Hindon Biodiversity Park and together this should serve as the city's green lung."
Hindon Biodiversity Park: A Mega Green Lung
Running parallel to the skywalk project is the development of the Hindon Biodiversity Park, a massive undertaking under the central government's AMRUT 2.0 scheme. This park is envisioned as a major ecological asset for Ghaziabad.
The total project cost is pegged at Rs 15.12 crore, with the first instalment of Rs 2.57 crore already released to kickstart the work. The park's blueprint includes an impressive diversity of flora, with plans to plant around 450 species of plants, including those bearing fruits and flowers, along with ornamental varieties, cycads, bamboo, orchids, and medicinal plants.
The park will be meticulously segmented into various thematic gardens to enhance visitor experience and botanical education. The planned sections include:
- Rose Garden
- Medicinal Udyan (Garden)
- Knowledge Garden
- Vasant Vatika (Spring Garden)
- Navgraha Vatika (Nine Planets Garden)
- Sharad Vatika (Autumn Garden)
- Bal Vatika (Children's Garden)
Advanced Infrastructure for Sustainability
The Hindon Biodiversity Park will not just be about greenery but will also incorporate state-of-the-art infrastructure to ensure its sustainability and low operational footprint. A key feature will be a pond spread over 2.5 acres. For efficient water management, the park will get an automatic irrigation system costing Rs 6.54 crore and a 40 KLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) built at a cost of Rs 30 lakh.
In a significant push for renewable energy, the park will be powered by solar panels with a generation capacity of 60 kVA of electricity. The installation of this solar power system is estimated to cost Rs 30 lakh.
Together, the Sai Upvan skywalk complex and the Hindon Biodiversity Park represent a concerted effort by the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation to combat pollution, provide recreational spaces, and create a sustainable urban environment for its residents. These projects are poised to transform the identified high-traffic, high-pollution zone into a cherished green haven.
